Bitter Arguments
by Tempee08
Summary: A spin on what happened after Castle and Beckett's serious arguments in Knockout. Rated M for a reason, not yet completed.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey all,**

**So this is one I've written recently, and I know I should be continuing other stories I've uploaded, but this simply would not leave my head. Hence spending a number of sleepless nights finishing it :)**

**It's based after the very serious argument that Castle and Beckett have in _Knockout_. Basically, it's something that would not leave my mind, no matter how hard I tried.**

**I don't own any of the characters or anything, this is just a bit of fun.**

**Hope you enjoy, reviews are greatly appreciated!**

**x**

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><p><strong>Beckett<strong>

I lay on my stomach, my head turned to watch the steady glow of the alarm clock. My body was stretched out fully, legs tangled through the sheets from my endless tossing and turning.

The alarm clock flicked over to the next minute.

_1:05 am_

I heaved an impatient sigh and flipped onto my back, feeling my frustration and anger grow as I mused once again over the reason for my sleeplessness.

Richard Castle.

He continued to haunt my presence all night. I had ordered him to get out, yet it was almost as though he hadn't left at all.

I felt my jaw clench as I recalled his words.

_I know you crawled inside your mother's murder and didn't come out. _

The first tears began to form behind my eyes as I felt my stomach tie itself into tighter knots.

_I know you hid there, the same way you hide in these nowhere relationships with men you don't love. _

His voice had been hard, firm. He was never like that with me; his behaviour was always childish and easygoing. But this, this was something different. He was deadly serious and almost getting...angry. My heart began to ache as a single tear fell down my face and into my hair.

That tear opened the floodgate as his final words echoed around my silent apartment.

_You could be happy, Kate. You deserve to be happy. But you're afraid. _

As the tears began flowing and the anger stirred in my chest I gave in. I scrambled out of bed, threw on a sweater, grabbed my keys and gun and headed out of the door.

**Castle**

The ice chinked in the bottom of my glass of water as I drained the last of it into my mouth. The affects of the whiskey I had consumed earlier was beginning to wear off, and yet I felt no better.

The hard look on Beckett's face when she had snapped had shattered my heart into what felt like a million shards, each one buried deep inside my chest and causing unimaginable pain.

The pain on her face when I had finally forced her flaws upon her remained burned into my retinas. Every time I closed my eyes, her face flashed before me. I couldn't recall ever feeling so miserable.

I knew that it was over. There was no way she would ever take me back after that argument. I had finally succeeded in bringing up the kiss, but it wasn't in the way that I had hoped.

I knew I had pushed it too far when her jaw clenched. Instantly a wall closed behind her eyes and they became hard and unreadable, much like when I first met her. When she hated me passionately.

I felt the urge to throw the tumbler, but stopped myself at the last minute. Not only did I not want to clean up another broken glass, but if I had to speak to Mother again I was sure to lose my composure and go and find Beckett myself.

**Beckett**

Somehow I made it through the deserted streets without crashing the car. I knew I wasn't travelling at legal speeds, but for once in my life, I didn't care.

Before I knew it I had parked at Castle's apartments. I wasn't sure what I was going to do once I got there, but I couldn't sit around at home any longer.

I headed in the front door, which was unmanned. It didn't really surprise me, as it _was_ past one thirty in the morning. I got into the elevator and hit the button for Castle's floor.

My heart was pounding in my chest, my breath coming in shallow gasps.

The lift chimed and the doors slid gracefully open, allowing me to step out and walk down the hall.

I came to a halt outside Castle's door and felt my stomach erupt into butterflies as I began to regret coming.

My hand hovered unsteadily, as I raised it to the door. It was then I realized I was trembling from head to toe.

"What are you doing Kate?" I mumbled to myself. "Stupid."

I let my palm rest flat against the door, leaning my head down and realizing how stupid I was. Castle was probably fast asleep at this time, and there was no way I would risk waking up Martha or Alexis.

Just as I was about to drag myself away and go home, the door handle turned.

I jumped a mile high before stepping back to flee to the elevator.

I made it halfway before I heard a shocked exclamation.

"Beckett?"

I winced as his voice stopped me dead in my tracks, my heart pounding in my ears. Slowly I turned around.

Castle was standing at the door, a jacket pulled over his grey shirt and jeans, with his car keys in hand.

"What are you doing here?" He looked shocked and completely confused. "Is everything okay?"

I grimaced, realizing just how much of a fool I looked like.

"Yeah, everything's fine, I'm just going to go..." I turned and practically ran to the elevator.

"Kate! No!" He ran after me, grabbing my arm to stop me. I avoided his gaze, keeping my eyes glued to the floor. "Come in. Please."

Wordlessly, I turned and followed him inside his apartment.

"I was coming to see you. To apologize," he muttered softly when we were standing in his kitchen. "I was stupid to be such an ass to you. I know what this case means. I'm just..."

He trailed off, and I could feel his gaze wander over my body. It was a piercing gaze and it raised all of the hairs on my body.

"I'm just so scared for you."

I continued staring at the floor as the emotions battled each other throughout my body. Anger. Guilt. Remorse. Bitterness. Longing.

And somewhere deep inside, shut away with my nastiest demons, resided the emotion that he had named, the one he had shoved into my face because I was too afraid to bring it out into the light.

Fear.

_Damn it Castle._

I felt a tick start in my clenched jaw as I tried my hardest to avoid his stare. His harshest words were once again echoing in my ears

_You're afraid._

I felt a sob rise to my lips as I took a deep breath. I pushed it away and tried to hold up some composure.

"I just can't stop. I have to know, and I'll do whatever I have to if it means I find my mother's killer," I said quietly, keeping my eyes on the floor. He took a step closer to me.

"I know, Kate, trust me I understand how much this means to you. No matter what you say, I do know enough about you to know you _won't _stop until you find whoever killed your mother and either kill him or put him behind bars."

He was so close I could smell his cologne, the smell that invaded my dreams and would always remind me of Castle. It calmed me down and made the hair on the back of my neck stand up at the same time.

"Kate, please. Look at me," he pleaded. I continued my staring contest with the floor. I had tried my hardest to rebuild the walls around me, and I knew that as soon as I looked at him, I would lose it all.

"I need you to know that even though this case is your life, I can't stand by and watch you throw your life away," he reached forward and let his fingers gently run along my cheek, before lifting my chin so that I was forced to make eye contact with him.

His eyes were their normal bright blue, but they glimmered with something darker. Something that was completely territorial and yet terrified at the same time.

"I'm never going to leave you in this alone Kate, I'm always going to stand by you while you fight this. But I know that if you get behind the wrong end of a gun, I won't ever recover from that. I'd rather take the bullet for you than live on knowing I could have done something to prevent it. But I don't want to put Mother or Alexis through that."

His hand sought mine and he gripped it hard.

"I don't want to, but I would. I would take that bullet for you in a second."

My heart was pounding in my chest, my eyes glimmering with unshed tears. For this man to put his family through something like that terrified me. His family meant the world to him, and for him to offer to take a bullet to save me...

"Castle...I..." My throat choked up with emotion as I struggled to find the words. A single tear broke free and made its way down my cheek.

He wiped it away gently, letting his warm palm rest on my cheek. I leant into his caress, covering his hand with my own as more tears slid down my face.

"Just promise me Kate, promise me that you won't let it get that far. Whoever these guys are, they mean business. It would break me to see you consumed by this case. But I'm here to fight it with you."

I let out an audible sob as the walls I had so carefully built around me fell to pieces. I felt my body cave inwards, and I grabbed hold of Castle's jacket to stop myself from falling.

The air left my lungs as he pulled me into his arms, holding me against his chest. His hands gently rubbed my back as I inhaled deeply, breathing in his smell and reveling in his warmth.

Castle's cheek was warm against my temple, and I felt his breath flutter my hair slightly. His stubble was slightly coarse.

We stood for what seemed like forever, fitting together like pieces of a puzzle. Then I felt him stir. He moved slightly, letting his forehead rest against mine. Our eyes met, and something sparkled in his eyes as he almost desperately searched mine.

My hands began to cramp from grasping his jacket so hard, so I gently spread them flat against his chest. He felt so wonderfully warm beneath my fingers, and as I looked back at his eyes, I felt his warm breath dance across my lips.

Suddenly the air between us became electric. His arms were still wrapped around me, pressing me to him. I felt my lips part as my breathing picked up pace.

His eyes glittered with longing and desire, stirring something deep inside me. Each shallow breath I took pressed my chest against his and I wondered if he could feel how fast my heart was beating.

Castle pressed his fingers harder into my lower back, causing a slight hitch in my breath.

"Kate," he growled; his voice so low and husky that my knees instantly went weak.

I felt a low moan rumble in my chest and I prayed that he hadn't heard it. I knew he had heard when his fingers bit sharply into my skin and he pulled me flush against him as his eyes flicked shut with a low growl.

His lips were mere centimeters from mine, and the tension between us was so powerful that it nearly dropped me to the floor.

Then everything changed when his eyes flicked open and his piercing, smoldering blue gaze met mine.

Our lips collided together as I pulled him as close as I could by his jacket. I moaned as he nipped my lip, and our tongues met in a passionate frenzy of teeth and tongues, fighting for dominance yet conveying the years of sexual tension, missed opportunities and wild, unspoken emotion.

I slipped arms around his neck so that I could wind my fingers through his hair. His hands travelled lower, his fingers pressed into my lower back as he began to walk me back. My back hit the counter and he stopped, pressing his entire body against mine.

I moaned again into his kiss as I felt his desire pressing against me through his jeans.

"God Kate," he growled in that guttural tone, "I need you to tell me if this isn't what you want. Because if we don't stop now, I don't think I'll be able to. But I won't push you."

As he spoke, he ran his fingers through my hair, letting his gaze wander up and down my face, searching my eyes.

I grabbed his jacket again and pulled him in for a kiss, hooking my leg around his hip. He was pressed against my core, and I gasped into the kiss as I ground against him.

He broke the kiss again.

"No Kate, I need to know." His eyes were smoldering. "Please."

"I've waited long enough Castle, please, don't stop now." I whispered breathlessly, raking my fingers down his shirt.

He kissed me again fiercely, sliding his hands down my back and ass to my thigh, before hooking my other leg around his hips, supporting me in his arms. He put me down on the edge of the bench top, which was a little too tall. He pushed up hard against me and his belt buckle pressed straight into my core, making me bite back a moan as he slid his tongue along my jaw and down my neck.

I pushed his jacket off of his shoulders and he released me for a moment so it could fall to the floor with a slight puff of air.

He wrapped himself around me again as I ran my fingers along his shoulders and down his back, delighting in the sounds he made.

I grabbed the hem of his shirt and tugged, and he helped me pull it off, letting that fall to the floor too.

I ground myself into his belt buckle, feeling the heat pooling inside my belly. As he covered my neck and collarbone with nips and kisses, he slid his hands up my shirt. His warm hands came into contact with my stomach and I felt goosebumps ripple across my flesh.

Gently he began to pull my shirt up and over my head, taking care not to be too rough. When it too had fallen to the floor, he took a moment to sweep his gaze across my body.

"Kate, God, you're beautiful. Really." He mumbled, kissing his way down my neck and along my chest, running his tongue along my cleavage. He slipped his hands under my plain black bra, grazing my already hard nipples with his slightly rough fingers.

My eyes flickered shut and I bit back a more vocal moan. Suddenly a thought occurred to me.

"Castle. God Castle, Martha and Alexis. We can't do this here." I mumbled as he unclasped my bra with a deft flick of the wrist. He tweaked my nipple before taking it into his mouth. The words left my mouth completely as I groaned.

"Castle, I'm not a quiet lover." I whispered frantically, hoping to get his attention.

His eyes instantly met mine, shimmering and dark with lust and arousal. In a second he had slipped his hands under my ass and lifted me. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he carried me to his office.

Once inside he turned and pressed my back against the door, pushing me against it to close it with a soft bang. Our lips met again, the passion doubled now that we were safely behind closed doors.

He turned me around again and walked over to his desk, which was littered with paper and notepads, pens and books. He set me down on the edge and leant over. In one fluid motion he swept everything off of the desk on to the floor. The desk was at a much better height, and his hardness pressed straight against my core.

As he kissed me, he ran his hands over my breasts, gently flicking and teasing my nipples. I let my fingers run down his chest to his buckle, undoing it quickly and pushing his pants off of his hips and to the floor.

I gasped as his bulge stood out prominently from his blue boxers, feeling the liquid pool in my abdomen. I ran a single shaking finger along it and watched as he yelped and jerked his hips forward into me.

I grinned wickedly and gently stroked him, earning deep, guttural moans that vibrated through his chest.

He moaned and grabbed my hands, wrapping them around my neck. I began to laugh.

"Kate if you want me to last, don't do that," he growled, gently nipping my earlobe.

The laughter died in my throat as he slipped his hands down my bare stomach to my pants. He made short work of them, and I lifted my hips to allow him to pull them down. He ran a finger along my panties, making me shudder and bite back a groan.

"Please Castle, don't tease me." I mumbled as he drew maddeningly slow patterns along me, making my hips jerk forward.

He grinned and hooked a finger under the elastic of my undies, pulling them down in one motion. He drank in the sight of me, my legs parted for him, revealing everything. Strangely enough, I didn't feel vulnerable. I felt...invigorated.

He crouched down in front of me and blew across me. I yelped, knotting my fingers through his hair.

And when he ran his tongue along me for the first time, I let out a strangled cry, wrapping my legs around his shoulders and holding him close as he began to work his tongue on me.

He brought me deliciously close to the edge, humming against me as I gripped him with my legs.

Finally, when I realized that I couldn't last much longer, I pulled him up so that he was standing in front of me again. As he kissed me I could taste myself on his lips and tongue, and he hungrily consumed my mouth. He ran a finger over me, testing to see how ready I was. I quivered under his touch.

I pushed his underwear to the floor and looked down to admire him. I groaned as I saw his erect member, running a hand along him and watching his reactions.

"I'm clean, and on the pill." I whispered, not sure if I would be able to stop in time to actively find a condom.

"Good, me too." He growled and with that, he slid into me. I cried out; he was hot and swollen and hard and exquisite. He moaned loudly into my ear before biting my neck hard.

He gave me time to adjust to him before sliding out again. We both drew shaky shallow breaths before he started a slow, steady rhythm. I met his thrusts with a jerk of my hips, pushing him inside as far as I could. We were both panting, covered in a layer of sweat that made our bodies slide together lusciously.

He slipped a finger between us and began to rub my clit, making my gasps and cries louder and more desperate.

I felt myself begin to tense, my walls begin to clench around him and I knew I was close. My head fell back as I panted.

"That's it Kate, I know you're close. Please, come for me. Let go," he whispered gently into my ear, his voice rough and breathless with arousal, "it's okay, I'm here. Just let go."

His words, his touch and the way he filled me so fully finally pushed me over the edge. My entire body tensed and then began to shudder, my orgasm ripping through me as I began to scream out his name.

He stopped my screams with his mouth, kissing me as best he could as my orgasm pushed him into his own. He grunted as he pushed into me, his thrusts becoming erratic as he finally spilled into me. He continued as long as he could before he became limp. The tremors continued to rack my body as I came down.

Castle kissed me and soothed me, whispering worship as he covered my sweaty body with gentle kisses and caresses as he brought me down.

When coherent thought returned to me I opened my eyes and found him watching me. I raised a shaky hand and brushed a hair out of his eyes with a smile on my face.

"Rick, take me to bed," I whispered gently, kissing him softly and sleepily.

"My pleasure," he returned, kissing me back and pushing the hair from my face.

And with that, he took my hand and led me to his bedroom, where I curled up into his dark blue sheets and into his warm arms and fell into a tired yet blissful slumber.

The following morning, we both woke early to a call from Esposito. I smiled sleepily at Castle before grabbing a shirt from his drawer and pulling it on.

Suddenly I became painfully aware that we had left our clothes in the kitchen. I glanced at the clock. 7:00.

"Castle, please tell me your mother and your daughter aren't early risers." I said quietly, feeling the panic rise in my chest.

Castle's expression turned from confusion to shock to horror in a matter of seconds.

"Mother might be, but maybe not, hold on, I'll check." He said in a blur, beginning to panic as we both realized that my little visit may have already been discovered.

He ran to the door, pulling on a robe. I followed silently, and listened desperately as he made his way down stairs.

"Ah. Mother. Good morning." Castle's voice was a mixture of apprehension and terror, but he did his best to remain casual.

"Yes, it is a good morning I'm sure." Martha sounded normal, and I almost breathed a sigh of relief. And then...

"I assume you're looking for these?"

I gulped as I heard Castle stutter. I felt the flush creep into my face as I realized she'd found our clothes. Mind you, it wouldn't have been hard, I mused silently. We _did_ leave them strewn around the kitchen.

"Mind you, I don't know why Detective Beckett won't just come down and fetch them herself, I don't bite."

My heart stopped. My face was burning and I was painfully aware that I was wearing only a pair of his shorts and his top. Martha knew. My mind was a blur of emotion. My first instinct was to run. Anywhere. As long as it was away from her. And to do it soon.

"Wh-what makes you think Kate's here?" Castle stammered, tripping over his words.

"Well, how do I put this subtly? You weren't...darling, you weren't particularly _quiet_ last night. Detective Beckett's the only person I know who calls you 'Castle'. And, I would recognize her clothing anywhere."

The memory of me screaming out as I came flashed through my mind. I suddenly felt extremely ill, and I began to back away to run to his bathroom and throw up.

"Detective, I know you're there, and I know you're listening, so you may as well come on down."

I froze on the spot, torn between climbing into a cupboard and not moving for the rest of my life and jumping out of his apartment window.

I swallowed hard and smoothed down my hair as best I could, painfully aware that I had no bra, no panties and no dignity left.

And I began to creep down the stairs to face the music.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey again, **

**So I'm not sure if I like this chapter, or the way I've handled the walk of shame, but hopefully it's okay. Let me know if you hate it or love it, because I'm really not sure where to take this. I have some ideas, but recommendations would be helpful. **

**It's not very long, but I'm already starting the next part, so stay tuned! **

**Much love and happy reading, and don't forget to review!  
><strong>**x **

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><p>I crept down the staircase, my face burning. I had never felt so mortified in my life. I gripped the edge of Castle's shirt hard, praying that it would stay down and preserve whatever shred of dignity I could salvage from the situation.<p>

Castle came into view first, standing by the kitchen bench. He met my eyes immediately, looking embarrassed and apologetic. My stomach dropped as I saw the pile of clothes sat on one of the stools. I felt a fresh wave of heat rush across my skin as I saw that my bra was on top of the pile.

As I took another tentative step, Martha became visible. She stood in a flowing blue dressing gown, her hair as immaculate as usual. She had a strange expression on her face. She looked both smug and amused; a small smile crept along her face as she saw me. She looked almost...triumphant.

I let my hair fall in front of my face as I tried my best to act casual.

"Good morning Detective," she said in her overly dramatic voice as I hit the bottom of the stairs and practically flew across to hide behind Castle.

"Martha." I said with a weak smile and a slight nod, feeling the blush flaring across my face and chest.

"Richard darling, you could have given the lovely Detective some pants or a dressing gown or at least _something_ more substantial than just that shirt." Martha shot Castle a disapproving look before taking off her own gown and handing it to me.

I bit my lip and winced, pulling the gown around myself with mumbled thanks.

Castle gaped speechlessly at his mother, who simply shrugged with an elegant flourish of her hands. "Just a thought my dear, it would have been nice."

She and walked into the kitchen. "So. Who wants breakfast? I'm cooking."

My jaw almost hit the floor. Her voice was so casual, and if it hadn't been for the mischievous, smug glimmer in her eye, it would appear as if it was totally normal for me to have spent the night and to appear only in Castle's shirt the following morning.

I looked at Castle. He appeared as shocked as I felt. He had clearly been expecting her to make a huge fuss over it, and to embarrass the both of us. He looked at me with disbelief before hastily composing his features.

"No Mother, I'll cook. I don't want to scare Kate away already," he teased, though his casual banter seemed a bit strained. Martha narrowed her eyes at him. He slipped his hand to my lower back and guided me forward, pulling out a chair for me.

I smiled and blushed slightly as he swept his hand gently up my back, the affectionate gesture surprising me a little.

"So Detective, I hear this case is not particularly pleasant?" Martha asked, letting Castle take over and pulling up a seat next to me. I wasn't at all surprised that she knew what was going on; Castle's family meant everything to him and so he kept them up to date with everything.

My throat choked up a little as I saw the tenderness and care in her soft blue eyes. She picked up my distress instantly and gently covered my hand with her own.

"I'm sorry Kate darling, I won't pry. Just promise me you'll stay safe." She smiled warmly and squeezed my hand slightly. My eyes continued to well up as I saw just how much she cared.

I heard the soft patter of footsteps down the stairs and I gulped as a fresh wave of humiliation washed across me. I turned to see Alexis heading over, her hair flowing in gorgeous waves.

I tried my best to act normal, regardless of the fact I was wearing only Castle's shirt and Martha's dressing gown.

Alexis smiled warmly at me and continued past. To my complete horror and embarrassment, she showed no shock at all to see me sitting in her kitchen. In fact, she shared a similar expression to Martha; a kind of smug, victorious smirk. It was then I wondered how long they had been betting it would take the two of us to get together.

"Morning Dad," Alexis said in a cheery voice, pecking her dumbstruck father on the cheek. "Morning Grams, Detective Beckett."

My jaw was beginning to ache from the amount of time it had spent on the floor. Alexis had just mentioned me casually in a good morning. As if it was a common occurrence that I was mostly naked in her kitchen in the morning!

Alexis made some small talk with Castle, but I was too busy trying to work out how I would remove my clothes-and worse, my bra-from the kitchen without making it too obvious.

"So, while breakfast is being made, I'm just going to go and read my book for a bit. We've got to have it finished by Tuesday next week for English, but it's an easy read so I should be fine." Alexis rambled as Castle prepared bacon and eggs.

Castle smiled proudly at her. "Sure thing pumpkin," he said with a grin. "I'll call you when it's ready."

She left the room gracefully, but not before shining a warm smile in my direction. Her brilliant blue eyes glimmered happily at me and I felt my heart pound. I hadn't realized just how similar her eyes and Castle's were.

I smiled shyly back and turned back to face Castle. Martha also rose.

"I'll be back in a moment my dears; I'm feeling a little chilly." She gestured to her thin silk pajamas and left the room with an air of grace and elegance.

I turned around to meet Castle's confused gaze. My jaw was wide open and I let my eyes dart to our pile of clothes.

"Okay what just happened?" I whispered frantically, grabbing the clothes and clutching them to my chest.

Castle opened his mouth, paused, and closed it again. He took a moment before coming forward to stand next to me.

"I don't know. I mean, my mother has been wanting us together since I met you, and she's not the type to miss out on the 'I told you so' moment." He shrugged, looking as confused and shocked as I felt.

"God Castle, I can't believe they _heard _us! I don't think I've ever been so embarrassed, and I've done some stupid things in my life," I whispered frantically, running my hands through my hair and grimacing.

Panic instantly invaded his features. "You-you don't-Kate, tell me you don't think what we did was stupid," Castle stuttered, desperately searching my face as he came around the counter to stand in front of me.

"Oh Castle," I said softly, cupping his cheek with my hand, "that's not what I meant."

He closed his eyes and let out a sigh of relief, his hands coming forward to grasp my hips. His thumbs pressed firmly into my hips, his fingers into my back, and the pressure and his electric touch made me shudder. I instantly felt the heat pool to my core and I slipped off the stool to stand against him.

I kissed him gently and wrapped my arms around his shoulders. He pulled me close and tried to deepen the kiss by nipping my lip insistently.

I pulled back slightly, kissing him chastely and resting my nose against his.

"Castle, I'm in your mother's dressing gown in the middle of your kitchen. I got caught last night, I don't think my dignity can stand any more torment today," I explained softly as his hands drew tantalizing patterns over my back. "I should go and put my clothes back on."

He nodded before reluctantly letting me go. I picked up the clothes again and faced him again with a sly smirk on my face.

"And if you're a good boy today Ricky, we can continue this tonight," I said in a husky tone, keeping my voice low in case Martha or Alexis were around.

His eyes darkened instantly and he grabbed me with a low growl. He kissed me hard, pressing his fingers into my back and wiping the smirk off of my face. I could feel him pressing against me through the thin material of the dressing gown and I felt a low moan slip from my lips.

I lost all thoughts and pressed harder into the kiss, our tongues battling for dominance. Suddenly he pulled back and took a step back, the bulge in his pants quite pronounced.

"Kate," he growled, "if you don't go now I'm not going to be able to stop. I swear you make me feel like a horny teenager all the time." He gestured to his crotch with a frustrated look on his face. "Now I have to try and get rid of _that_ and concentrate on cooking breakfast. Thanks."

I smiled as he scowled, kissing him gently before turning around and heading quickly to the stairs.

As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I saw a flash of movement and a scurry of footsteps at the top. I frowned and started climbing the stairs quietly.

I heard a muffled shriek come from Alexis's room, and I felt my curiousity stir. I knew I shouldn't eavesdrop, but I found myself utilizing my abilities to sneak silently to the side of the door so I could listen.

"Is she gone?" I heard Martha's dramatic whisper. "Do you think she saw us?"

"I don't know. Grams, we shouldn't have spied on them, that was mean." Alexis whispered back, sounding slightly ashamed.

"Alexis darling, I have been waiting for those two to come to their senses since Richard met that Detective. I had to make sure that she wasn't going to run away and hide from her feelings again. I hoped she would be strong enough to overcome whatever is holding her back, and I was right."

"But I still feel bad..." Alexis whispered.

Martha chuckled quietly. "I'm assuming I wasn't the only one woken up last night?"

Alexis let out a quiet groan and I felt a fresh blush begin its ascent up my chest and across my face.

"Well then, I think that we deserve a little something for being put through that. And if that little something is spying on them for a moment, then so be it. Now we should go before Kate comes back and catches us hiding out."

I jumped a mile high as the door began to creep open and I dashed madly for Castle's bedroom.

I closed the door and stopped for a moment, my heart beating wildly in my chest.

Martha knew I had been running and pushing Castle away. How had she known that? I felt the panic creep into my chest as I realized that I had crossed that line with him. What was I meant to do now that we didn't have that careful barrier of denial?

He had finally managed to break through my defenses.

I heard a soft knock at the door and assuming it was Castle, I opened it. To my surprise Martha stood at the door, a strange look on her face.

"Detective, I just wanted to apologize if I have embarrassed you at all." Her words were soft and surprisingly guarded. I realized with a grimace that she knew I had been listening at the door.

"My dear, I know that you've been running away from him, and I just want you to know that I've never seen him like this before. I don't know what's holding you back, or why you're afraid of, but if I can give you some advice, please, don't fight this."

She took my hand as my breathing sped up.

"I have a feeling that this fear is related to your mother, but I know that she would be proud of you. He does you good and it may not be my place to say this, I am proud of you both. So don't let it stop you from being happy." Her words made my eyes swell with tears, and I clutched her hand tightly.

"You deserve to be happy Detective; you just have to let yourself." My eyes widened as she echoed words so similar to Castle's the previous night.

The elegant matriarch leant in, kissed me on the cheek and walked off.

I felt a tear slide down my cheek as I stood rigid with shock. Somehow Martha knew exactly what I had been battling, and the fact that she knew it was to do with my mother surprised me. Obviously that empathetic, almost clairvoyant gene ran through the family.

I closed the door and took off her dressing gown. I let the tears fall, knowing I would feel better for it. I knew I had been running. I knew it was because I had seen how my mother's death had shattered my father's life.

I couldn't do that to someone. I couldn't let my job hurt anyone else.

I did my best to keep everyone at arm's length so that if I lost my life to a criminal's knife or a stray bullet no one other than my dad would miss me. Castle was right, I hid in nowhere relationships because they allowed me to feel but to keeping myself distant and unattached.

Oh God. Relationships.

Josh.

My heart stopped. How could I have forgotten about my boyfriend and slept with Richard Castle? I cursed out loud, realizing he was coming home the following night. I glanced at the mirror and saw that Castle had left some obvious marks along my neck.

I gulped and unbuttoned his shirt. Yep, the bite marks had been left on my chest as well as my neck. There was no way I would be able to hide them from Josh.

Damn it.

I grabbed my clothes and pulled them on, groaning as I realized that I would have to go home to get a change of clothes before work. Good thing Esposito said I didn't need to be in until ten at the earliest. A glance at the clock on Castle's bedside table read eight thirty.

I threw on the rest of my clothes and checked my face in the mirror. My eyes were a little red, and the marks on my neck were in plain sight.

I opened Castle's cupboard and pilfered through. Finally, I pulled out the desired item-a blue and white striped scarf. He had worn it before, but I had never realized how soft it was. I pulled it around me and inhaled deeply, it smelt just like Castle. It calmed me a little as I arranged it to cover the telltale marks and headed out the door.

When I reached the kitchen, I saw the whole Castle family gathered around the counter. Castle's expression made me laugh. It was a combination of shame and terror, and I saw that Martha had her finger in his chest.

His eyes flitted to me and he cleared his throat loudly. Martha turned around with a warm smile.

"Detective Beckett, come and join us for breakfast. Dad cooked eggs," Alexis said with a cheery smile.

"Call me Kate, Alexis, and it depends on the time..." I trailed off, glancing at my wrist before realizing I had left my watch at home. I gasped and checked my throat. I had forgotten my mother's necklace in my hurry last night. My stomach flipped and suddenly I felt naked and vulnerable.

"Ah, no, I really have to get going. I, um, have to go home before I go to work," I mumbled distantly as I tried to keep a poker face. All three of them watched me with slightly worried expressions.

Martha started to argue but Castle bustled forwards. "Kate can come around later, she has got work. Unlike me, she has a real job and real responsibilities," Castle joked, resting his hand on my lower back.

"Thanks Martha, bye Alexis," I said as calmly as I could, letting Castle guide me to the door.

He turned me as soon as we had left the front door, softly closing the door to give us some privacy. He wrapped his hands around my waist, his soft eyes watching mine intently.

"Kate, tell me," he said quietly, his voice sounding sad. My eyes welled up as the panic in my chest fought for dominance.

"I don't know what I'm doing. My mother's ring, I forgot last night. I've never left my house without it, and last night I just...left." I swallowed hard and shut my eyes as the tears began to fall. I took a breath.

"And I have never, _ever_ cheated on anyone. In my life. And last night...I just forgot. What kind of person am I that I forgot I had a _boyfriend? _And he's coming home tomorrow and I've got your bite marks all across my body."

His sharp intake of breath forced my eyes open.

"Oh God Kate," he whispered in a voice that betrayed his remorse and horror.

The sobs started racking my body and his hands tightened on my hips.

"Castle what are you doing to me?" I whispered the words so softly I was surprised that they had slipped from my lips.

He froze instantly, the shock clear on his face.

"Kate, what are you saying?"

"I don't know Castle, I really don't. I was fine until you came along. I never would have forgotten my mother's ring. I would never have cheated on someone. And now, because of that argument I was so distressed I walked out without it. And now I've...Josh. God Castle what have I done?"

Finally the tears got the better of me and I covered my face with my hands, sobbing hard as I realized how much Castle had changed me. How much I had changed.

He pulled me into his chest and his warm arms circled me. I couldn't stop the tears but Castle never let me go. He stood until the sobs had left my body completely.

Then he let me go gently and brushed the tears from my eyes, cupping my face in his hands.

"Go to work. We can talk about this later. About what to do."

I felt the bile rise in my throat as my breathing became shallow. Castle ran his hands gently down my back, drawing calming patterns on my back. He waited until I had composed myself before taking a step back.

"I won't do anything more that will put you in a worse position. If you need me, please call me Kate. We can work through this."

The pain in my voice almost broke my heart as I took a deep, steadying breath, turned on my heel and headed for the elevator.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello again!**

**So, this one is mainly dealing with Beckett's view on things, but hopefully it's okay. I've always loved Lanie and Beckett's interactions, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I've stayed true to that.**

**For all of those that are following the story, and all of those who have written such lovely and brilliant reviews, thank you so, so, so much. It really makes my day to see that what I'm writing makes people happy. And it makes it all worth it! Reviews are my addiction, so keep them coming, and I'll keep writing!**  
><strong>The next one will be a bit heated-a few problems might be dealt with, so keep an eye out!<strong>

**Enjoy, much love,**

**x **

* * *

><p>I stepped into the elevator at the precinct, feeling slightly better having had a shower and some time to calm down.<p>

I slipped my hand past Castle's scarf-which I had kept for the time being to hide the purple bite marks-and traced my mother's ring, once again hung safely around my neck.

My mind stewed over the previous night's events as I told myself off repeatedly.

How could I have forgotten my mother's ring? How could I have forgotten I had a _boyfriend?_ What the hell was Castle doing to me?

"Damn it Beckett, what are you doing?" I muttered furiously to myself as the lift opened.

I stalked out to my desk, avoiding everyone. I felt Esposito and Ryan watching me, and I hoped they knew better than to ask questions.

"Hey Beckett," Ryan called. I put on my best 'don't mess with me' face and looked up, praying I wasn't about to be interrogated. "Did you want to come and check out this lead?"

I breathed a sigh of relief and got up from my desk.

"Yeah Ryan, what've we got?"

The day passed pretty quickly. Each new lead we managed to rustle up led to dead ends. Castle arrived at around lunch time, my usual coffee in hand. He was his usual nine year old self to the boys, but I instantly saw that he was much quieter than usual.

He was subdued for most of the day, only throwing in a few crazy theories. He was sitting sullenly in his chair, staring blankly into space when my phone rang later in the afternoon.

"Beckett."

"Hey girl, you busy?" Lanie's chirpy voice rang through, the empty echoing in the background telling me she was in the lab.

"No, no I'm just doing paperwork, why?" I said with a sigh, looking at the immense pile of papers waiting for me on the end of my desk.

"Those forensic files you wanted me to pull up? Well it took me a while but I found them. I thought you might like to come and grab them yourself."

"Yeah Lanie, no worries. I'll be down in a minute."

I hung up the phone and stood. Castle broke himself out of his brooding with a start and stood up as well. I shook my head instantly.

"No Castle, you're not coming to see Lanie with me. That girl can smell a scandal from a mile away. If you don't want to end up on one of her slabs I'd stay here. I'm hoping I can keep this from her, but no guarantees. So be on the look out," I hissed quietly.

Castle gulped slightly and sat back down slowly with a nod.

I took a deep breath and headed for the elevators. While on my way down, I rearranged the scarf, pulling it close, and preparing my strongest poker face.

I usually shared almost everything with Lanie, but I wasn't sure I was ready for her squealing or her chastising for forgetting Josh. Again, as Josh's name popped into my head my stomach twisted with guilt.

I managed to calm my breathing as the doors opened with a small ping. My heels clicked as I walked down the hallway into the morgue.

"Hey girl, how's things?" Lanie's voice reached me before I saw her, and I felt a smile find my lips. She was sitting at her desk in her dark blue scrubs, looking at a bunch of specimen trays.

"Good thanks Lanie; you said you had those files for me?" I asked, trying to keep things as brisk as possible without drawing attention to myself too much.

She narrowed her eyes slightly and looked me over. I felt my heart flutter a bit, and then she opened a drawer and pulled out a fat manila file.

"You look...different. I'm not sure what it is yet, but something happened. You want to tell me what or am I going to have to pin you down?" She asked suddenly and my stomach dropped.

Then a light clicked on behind her eyes and she snapped her fingers. "That's it! You totally got some last night."

I swallowed hard. "W-what?" I stuttered, feeling myself go red in the face. Damn it.

Lanie cackled. "Honey, don't even try to deny it! You're practically glowing! Go on then, I'll bet that's what the scarf's for. You had wild, hot, kinky sex last night and now you're hiding the evidence. Is Josh back then?"

She reached out and pulled the scarf down before I could move, revealing the deep purple bruises and bite marks on my neck. _I'm going to kill Castle_, I thought bitterly to myself.

Lanie's laughter thickened as she saw the marks. The mention of Josh's name brought a pang to my heart, and as soon as she saw the expression on my face, her laughter died.

"Oh sweetie, what happened?" Lanie asked quietly, instantly switching into comfort mode. "What did Josh do?"

Tears swelled in my eyes as I bit my lip, struggling to find the words.

Finally, I managed to croak out a single sentence.

"Josh comes back tomorrow night."

Lanie's jaw dropped as her face turned to shock. She took another look at my neck, and at my scarf, and once again I saw a spark of understanding in her eyes.

"I thought that scarf looked familiar," she said in a hushed voice. "It's Castle's, right?"

It was a loaded question, and by asking it, she was also asking if it was Castle's bite marks on my neck.

I nodded slightly as the tears began to fall down my face.

"Oh Kate," Lanie whispered, pulling me in for a hug. She held me close for a moment, until I regained my composure. Then she pulled up a chair for me and sat down in front of me.

"What the hell happened?"

"I don't know Lanie," I breathed, toying with the hem of his scarf, not meeting her gaze. "I just, well, we fought yesterday. He told me we couldn't win this fight, this case. He told me to back down."

I lifted my gaze and met her soft brown eyes, which were filled with pain. She knew how much this case meant to me.

"And he told me...he said some things that really hit home. He really pushed my issues in my face, and it scared me. I told him to get out, and he did."

Lanie nodded slowly. "Okay, so explain to me how a huge fight ended with the two of you in bed?"

I gulped and squeezed my eyes shut.

"I couldn't sleep. After all he said, all he accused me of, I realized just how true it was. I didn't know what to do, I mean it was around one thirty, but somehow I ended up at his building. I don't know what I thought I was going to do, but there I was. Absolutely petrified, standing at his door."

Lanie waited patiently, the sound of her breathing oddly reassuring in the quiet morgue.

"I almost left actually, but he caught me in the hall. He was coming to apologize to me. And then when we were standing in his kitchen, he said he'd stand with me, to fight through this."

I took a deep breath and met Lanie's shocked gaze.

"He said he'd take a bullet for me Lanie."

Her breath caught and her eyes widened.

"After that I guess one thing led to another and we ended up in his office..." I trailed off, letting her imagination cover that part.

A huge smile lit up her features and she cocked an eyebrow.

"Oh no, after all this time you don't get to miss out on _any_ details. So spill, was he good?" Lanie's eyes were sparkling with delight.

I smile I was powerless to stop crept onto my lips as I remembered the way he had touched me, the way he had...no. No thoughts like that in Lanie's morgue.

I ripped my mind away from the thought of Castle's mouth and fingers and found Lanie watching me with a wicked grin on her face.

"Damn girl, I haven't seen you grin like that in so long. In fact, only Castle makes you smile like that. You're having hot flashbacks aren't you? Go on share with me! I want all the gritty details," she said with a wild laugh.

"Well it started in his kitchen, and God Lanie, I don't even have the words to describe it. I got so worried that I was being too loud in his _kitchen_ of all places. I mean, his mother and daughter were upstairs!"

Lanie's jaw dropped and she nodded for me to continue.

"So he picked me up while I was wrapped around his waist and carried me into his office. We'd left most of our clothes behind and..." I trailed off, letting my grin do the talking.

"Lanie I don't think I've _ever_ felt anything like it. Sex doesn't even begin to describe it. It's just...God."

Lanie let out a squeal that she quickly muffled behind her hands. Then she reached out again and grabbed the scarf, pulling it down to take a closer look at the marks.

"Wow, I never picked Castle for a biter," she said with a laugh. I pulled away and wrapped the scarf up again.

"But now I've got a problem," I said quietly, forcing myself away from the thoughts about Castle. "Lanie, when I left my house in such a mess last night, I forgot to put on my mother's ring."

Lanie instantly stopped moving, her eyes wide, and expression blank. She was speechless.

"After all of these years...I've never once left my house without it. Not once. It simply hasn't happened. And yet, somehow, I lost my senses enough to go to his apartment and I didn't even notice until the next morning. I was completely naked, but somehow I didn't notice."

I desperately searched Lanie's eyes for something, for an explanation. The emotion they displayed seemed almost sad.

"And I cheated on Josh. Lanie, what the hell is he doing to me? I don't know what to do," I whispered, hot tears spilling down my cheeks.

"Honey, let me tell you what's going on. You are in love with Richard Castle. No one experiences these sorts of changes unless there's something serious involved. I just wish you had come to your senses earlier, because now that you've left it so late, you've made it so complicated."

I nodded slightly I bit back the tears. Lanie frowned, putting her hands on my wrists.

"Listen, you need to work out this thing with Josh. In my opinion, if you managed to go with Castle and completely forgot about Josh, then it seems that Josh isn't what you're looking for. So don't lead him on any longer if you can avoid it."

She grabbed my hands and squeezed them tightly as I took a deep breath and composed myself. Standing, I gave her a tight hug and whispered into her ear.

"Thank you."

"Don't even mention it. And I must say, no matter what the circumstances are, I am proud of you for _finally_ coming to your senses and getting with that man. He's good for you. And he clearly loves you. Grab onto him with both hands and don't you dare let go."

My face suddenly grew red as I had a quick flashback to the way I had grabbed him the previous night and I tried to hide my face.

Lanie groaned. "Oh Kate! God! I didn't mean it like that! Go on; get out of here before you scar me for life!" Lanie yelled with a giggle, pushing me away playfully.

I let a huge grin cross my face before I turned and headed for the elevator.

As I stood in the elevator, flashbacks of the way Castle had touched me and teased me kept returning. Each hot thought send a jolt of arousal straight to my core, and no matter how hard I tried to avoid the thoughts, they wouldn't leave me alone.

When I finally got back upstairs, I was feeling horribly hot and bothered. The moment I reached my desk I took a quick look around before looking down at Castle, who was watching me with an apprehensive look on his face.

"Come with me," I practically growled, gesturing to the door that led to the viewing room of the interrogation room. He followed silently.

As soon he was inside the room I slammed the door shut, turning on my heel to face him. He looked terrified.

I walked up to him and poked him in the chest.

"I can't _believe_ you marked me. I've got your bite marks all over me! Lanie had a field day! And now, I can't stop thinking about you and your hands, and the way they felt on my body. How am I supposed to go and work when all I can think about is you?" I hissed, pressing my hand flat against his chest.

He was pressed up against the wall, and I couldn't stop my body from leaning in. My hips automatically started swaying, my leg slipping between his. His tongue darted out to wet his lips and I let out an involuntary moan. His eyes darkened instantly.

I pushed hard against him and felt his arousal pressing through his jeans. I ran my fingernails down his chest while his hands grabbed my waist. His fingertips dug into my skin as I let out a low gasp.

"Kate," he groaned, "don't do this to me. I don't want to put you in a worse situation than we're already in. But if you don't stop, I can't be held responsible for my actions."

I bit my lip and sighed. No matter how attracted I was to Castle, I wasn't a cheater. I couldn't consciously cheat on Josh, and Castle was right; I was already in a pickle.

Untangling my legs from his, I stepped back, readjusting my shirt and clothes. He stayed against the wall, a prominent bulge visible under his straining pants. He looked down at it and sighed.

I laughed loudly at the expression on his face.

"That's payback for leaving me with bite marks! It serves you right!" I joked, watching as a smug grin spread across his face. My mind flashed back to the previous morning.

"Oh Castle, what was your mother doing this morning when I came out? You looked terrified."

Castle grimaced. "She was threatening me actually," his eyes met mine, "she told me that if I ever hurt you, she'd kill me herself."

The blush crept to my cheeks and I smiled, glancing away from his gorgeous eyes to continue straightening my shirt.

He stepped forward and touched my chin gently, bringing my gaze up to meet his.

"I told her that I couldn't ever hurt you. I'd never forgive myself if I did."

The words were almost whispered, in his rough yet gentle voice, and it brought a knot to my throat.

I gently slid into his arms, pulling him close. I buried my face into his shoulder and inhaled deeply. His smell circled me, so familiar and so calming. I squeezed him tightly, wishing I could do more.

Eventually we pulled apart, and with a warm smile shared between us, we headed out so I could finish for the day.

I dropped my keys on the kitchen counter with a sigh. The day had ended quickly, with Castle and I keeping a distance between us to avoid the sexual energy between us.

Castle had sat uncomfortably in his chair for the remainder of the afternoon, shooting me evil glances every so often. We said our goodbyes softly, still keeping that distance between us. I wasn't sure if I would have been able to stop myself from ravishing him in the elevator, so we took it separately.

I poured myself a large glass of red wine and made a bee line for the bathroom.

While the bathtub filled I began pulling the scarf off from around my neck. A small smile crept to my lips as I pulled off my jacket and my shirt as well, and I ran a finger over the dark marks.

My fingers trailed down my stomach as I unbuckled my belt. Suddenly my touch reminded me of Castle, and the way he had touched me.

Heat instantly pooled to my core and my lips parted in a slight gasp as my breath became shallow.

I stripped off my pants in a heartbeat, throwing my hair up into a messy bun to keep it out of my face. I turned off the bath and had just started stepping into it when I heard a knock at my door.

"Damn it," I muttered, scrambling out and pulling on my robe. I tied it as tightly around myself as I could as I headed for the door. My thoughts flickered to hope as I realized it might be Castle at my door, but nothing had prepared me for who stood in my doorway when I opened the door.

"Hi Kate," Josh said in a cheery voice as I clutched my robe around my neck. "Surprise!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello again guys, **

**So I'm a bit unsure if I like this or not, but I'm going to go with it because let's be honest, Josh needs to go. (Yay!) It has quite a bit of stronger language in the first bit, mainly because I haven't used it anyw****here else in the story, and it's a good way to show that Josh is a meanie ;) **

**Erm, for those who have been following and reviewing, I love you all so very much. I'm also sorry that I haven't replied to your gorgeous and amazing and wonderful reviews, because they all deserve it. But I've been busy with school, which is quite chaotic at the moment and trying to write this chapter, so hopefully I'll start replying now :)**

**I love you all, so stay posted and let me know what you think!**

**Love Erin x**

* * *

><p>"J-Josh," I stuttered, praying that the robe would cover everything. "Wha-what are you doing here?"<p>

He smiled, clearly seeing my shock as a good thing.

"I'm here to see you of course. They let me come home early, so naturally, I came here." His voice set me on edge and I winced as I realized that he implied my loft was home to him.

He came close, and put his hands on my hips, pulling me in. He pushed his face in mine and pressed his lips against mine. It felt rough, intrusive. I pulled away as soon as I could and let him in. I wasn't going to break up with him in the doorway.

"Josh, you sit down while I go and get something more...substantial on. You interrupted me as I was getting into the bath. We need to talk," I said quietly, motioning to the couch.

His eyes lit up. "Well, you could always leave that on, and I can help you with it."

My stomach flipped at his words, and not in the pleasant way.

"No Josh, I'm cold. I'll be right back."

I turned around sharply and headed for my bedroom, cursing under my breath the whole time.

What the hell was Josh doing here? I wasn't ready! I didn't even have time to put concealer over Castle's marks!

I stared longingly at my bath, before gulping down the glass of wine and looking at my reflection in the mirror.

The gown covered most of the marks, as long as I left it tied tightly.

I pulled on my underwear and hunted around for my bra, huffing angrily when I couldn't find it. Suddenly, I heard the door open behind me.

I pulled the dressing gown as tight as I could and continued looking, refusing to face him. How was I going to do this? Did I admit to it or just break up with him? My mind spun as my thoughts travelled at a blinding speed.

I jumped as his hands slid around my waist, pulling me close. I shuddered as he nuzzled his face into the back of my neck.

"I've missed you," he muttered, and I felt my stomach churn as he pressed his obvious arousal into my ass.

Suddenly it dawned on me that this was how our relationship worked. We barely saw each other, and when we did, we turned all of our emotions into sex. I couldn't even remember the last time we'd had a proper conversation.

I tensed as he started kissing his way down my neck and his hand slid to my breast. My skin was over sensitive, and compared to Castle's gentle, caring touch he felt too rough.

"Josh," I said quietly, trying to push him away. He pushed down the back of my gown and began kissing my neck. My thoughts instantly went to Castle, and the way that Castle had kissed me. This needed to stop.

Just as I went to pull away, Josh let out a strangled cry and jumped back.

"Kate, what the fuck is going on?" He said angrily, and I suddenly felt queasy. I turned to face him and saw his face was a mix of anger, sadness and disgust.

"What?" I said quietly, praying he hadn't discovered a bite.

"You know very well what I'm talking about! Who left a fucking hickey on your back? You've been fucking cheating on me haven't you?" His face was twisted with rage now, and I instantly switched into Detective mode.

"Josh, stop swearing. I told you I wanted to talk to you. Look, you're never here. I'm so sorry, I never planned to hurt you, it just..._happened._" I said in a calm but cool voice.

"Oh yeah _sure_, because having sex with someone just _happens_," he said in a mocking voice. Suddenly I liked Josh a lot less. "Who was it with then? It's not hard to guess really."

I heard a vibrate and then my ringtone piped up. Josh's gaze switched to my phone and his sneer turned into a snarl when he saw Castle's called ID.

"You couldn't make it more obvious," he growled, his fists clenching. "Jesus Kate, I never picked you for the type that would fucking sleep around."

The anxious feeling in my gut grew. I had worked so many cases that had ended up with a partner finds out about an affair and loses his head. It usually ended with one of them dead.

"Look, Josh-" I began, but he cut me off by reaching for my phone.

"Let me speak to the bastard," he said angrily. I jumped and grabbed the phone instantly, holding it away from him. There was no way in hell I was letting him anywhere near Castle.

"Give me the phone, Kate," he said quietly, his eyes cold and ruthless. "After what you've done to me, you have no right to stop me. I can't believe you'd do that to me."

I felt the anger swell in my chest.

"After all I've done to you! I'm not saying what I've done is right, but maybe if you were around to notice how I'm feeling, then maybe this would never have happened," my voice shook as I tried to stay calm.

"Oh no, don't you dare turn this around on me. This is _not_ my fault," Josh yelled, his face barely recognizable. "This is all Richard Castle's fault, he knew I was out of town, the fucking bastard. Let me speak to him, I'll put him back in his place."

When I tried to hide the phone from him he almost growled at me.

"Kate, don't be stupid. I deserve to speak to him, don't be a bitch."

He lunged for me, trying to grab the phone from my hand. I leapt backwards, but he caught me off balance and we toppled to the ground. I yelped as my cheek hit the corner of the counter on the way down, feeling slightly stunned.

The sound of my yell seemed to break Josh out of his rage and he turned to look at me with a pale, shocked face.

"Oh God, Kate, I'm so sorry," he whispered. He reached out to touch my arm.

I felt myself trembling as I grabbed his arm and flipped him, pinning him to the floor in an arm lock. I felt a warm trickle begin down my cheek and I realized I was bleeding.

I hauled him to his feet as he frantically began apologizing.

I grabbed my gun off of the desk on my way past before pushing him out of the door.

As he turned, an apology still on his lips, I felt my gown fall open. My heart stopped as I frantically tried to pull it back around me. I realized I had been too late when his face transformed back into a snarl as he saw the full extent to which Castle had claimed me.

"I'm going to kill him. Who the fuck does he think he is?" He growled as I covered myself up and made sure he knew I had my gun on me.

"Josh. Get the hell out of here. Now," I snarled, realizing I hated what he had become. I began to wonder how I had never seen this in his personality before. Then I realized with a jolt that we'd never had many serious discussions before, that this was our first proper confrontation.

"If you go anywhere _near_ Richard Castle, I'll shoot you," I snapped coldly, "and if you come anywhere near me again, I promise you that I'll do more than kick you out."

I felt the blood trickling down my face as I slammed the door.

I threw the gun onto the bench as I felt the adrenaline course through my now trembling body.

I stood for a moment, refusing to let any tears fall. Then I heard my ringtone start up again.

I shook myself for a moment and headed for the bathroom. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw Castle's caller ID.

"Castle," I said in a shaky voice, "please tell me you aren't busy right now."

"Kate, what's wrong?" He asked, his panic clear in his voice.

My throat caught.

"Ca-can you come over? Please?" I whispered as I saw the blood from my cheek splash onto my dressing gown.

"I'll be right there, I'm leaving now," I heard the jingle of car keys and the slam of a door. "Kate, please be okay until I get there."

I nodded as the sobs started, barely aware of the fact that he couldn't see me.

I whispered an okay and ended the call, before sitting down on the kitchen stool next to my gun, my hands shaking as I let the tears fall, pressing a towel to the cut on my cheek to stop the bleeding.

I sat numbly until I heard the roar of the Ferrari below me. I jumped as I heard a knock on my door not long after.

I walked over to the door and opened it, wiping the tears and blood from my face.

Castle took one second to look me over, the blood and tears, and his eyes lingered on the gun in my hand before pulling me into a fierce hug.

I dropped the gun to the floor as I held onto him as tightly as I could. He gently picked me up and carried me inside, pushing the door shut behind him.

He took me to the couch and sat me down, kneeling in front of me. He took my hands into his, looking at the blood on them.

"What happened Kate?" He whispered, his blue eyes clouded with worry and pain.

I took a deep breath and tried to ignore the tears spilling down my face.

"Josh came home early," I breathed, "he came and saw me, and I was about to get into a bath. Castle, he saw the marks you left. He knew instantly."

"I'm so sorry," he whispered, but I shook my head.

"It isn't your fault. I should have been more careful. But when you rang, he realized it was you. He tried to grab the phone, and we fell together. I think I hit my face on the bathroom counter. That's when I kicked him out. He...he got nasty. Really nasty."

He watched me carefully, before pulling me into his arms again.

"I am so, so sorry Kate. I never thought..." he whispered into my ear as I felt the tension leave my body. His scent, his warmth and his kindness warmed me from the inside, slowing my heartbeat and steadying my shaking body.

He sat back after my sobs had subsided, and gently took my bloody hand.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up a bit," he said gently, before leading me to the bathroom.

He sat me down on the edge of the bath and found a clean face washer. He wet it with the bath water and crouched before me.

"Can I?" He asked gently, gesturing to my face.

I simply nodded and closed my eyes as he began to carefully clean the blood from my cheek and jaw.

I hissed a bit as he brushed over the cut itself, and he mumbled a quick apology.

Finally he stopped and wiped my cheek softly with his thumb, caressing me. He then took my hands and carefully cleaned those too.

"This isn't going to stop bleeding, do you have a first aid kit anywhere?"

I pointed to the cabinet and he opened it, rustling through until he found my little first aid box. He hunted through for a moment until he found what he was looking for.

He then came back to me and gently used steri-strips to close the cut. I knotted my fingers into the material of my dressing gown to help deal with the dull throb that now radiated from it.

I opened my eyes again and found him watching me closely. I smiled slightly; I couldn't remember the last time someone had cared for me so tenderly.

Suddenly a thought occurred to me. Josh was gone, and I was single.

The smile on my face grew. I reached out and grabbed Castle's jacket, pulling him to me.

Our lips met softly, and I melted into him. His hands snuck around my waist, holding me close, while I wrapped my arms around his neck.

The kiss was tender and unhurried, which somehow made it so much more important. He made no moves, just held me while we kissed.

Finally, the need to breathe pulled us apart, and I rested my good cheek on his shoulder, still holding him tightly.

"I've been wanting to do that all day," I whispered, feeling totally relaxed.

"Me too," he breathed, burying his nose in my hair. "You're mine now."

His words were possessive, but somehow they felt right. I was finally with him. We were together. _Finally._

We pulled apart and he carefully pulled the plug from the bath. He followed me into the bedroom, now looking a little unsure.

"Do you want me to stay?" He asked softly, sounding a little insecure.

I grinned and grabbed him gently by the front of his jacket again.

"Of course I do."

His smile lit up the whole room as he scooped me up into his arms and carried me into bed.

As we dove under the covers, he pulled me into his warm, inviting arms. I could feel his steady heart beating and his breath blew gently over my ear.

It was circled in his arms and his smell that I fell into a peaceful sleep.

I woke suddenly, hours later. I felt the panic grow in my chest, consuming me as my chest constricted and my body broke out in a cold sweat. I knew that I was about to get hit with a panic attack, but this time it was different.

Castle was in bed with me.

He stirred as my breathing became audible.

"Kate, hey, what's going on? Is everything alright?" He said, jolting up and touching my back gently as I struggled for air.

"Hey, it's alright, I'm here," he whispered, running his hand down my back before brushing my hair out of my eyes. "I'm right here Kate, I'm not going anywhere. Just breathe, it's okay."

The panic began to ebb away slowly, just as it normally did. And as usual, it left me feeling exhausted and empty.

When my breathing had calmed and my heart rate had began to slow down to normal, Castle spoke.

"Do the panic attacks happen often?"

I nodded my head slightly.

"Sometimes. Less frequently than they used to. It started after my mother's murder, I used to get them every night," I breathed.

He let out a sad sigh, still tracing patterns on my lower back.

"Thank you."

"I'll always be here Kate."

I looked up at him. In the darkness I could only just make out the glint of his eyes, but I could feel the care radiating from them. He watched me carefully as I moved as close to him as I could.

I ran my hand down his cheek in the dark, falling in love with the way my fingers felt against his stubble.

His hands snuck around my waist and suddenly the patterns he traced felt like fire.

"Castle," I breathed, my heart racing now for a totally different reason.

"You did break up with Josh, right? I'm not dreaming I hope," he said in a low, rough voice that sent shivers down my spine.

"I threatened to shoot him if he ever came back here or went anywhere near you," I mumbled as his fingers crept lower down my back, the material of my dressing gown rubbing pleasantly over my bare skin. "I think that's a sufficient break up."

He cupped my face with his hand and pulled me to him, our lips meeting softly.

He bit my lip gently and I gladly accepted him. Our tongues met and suddenly my entire world revolved around him. The feel of his tongue against my teeth, the way he tasted. The way he dug his fingers into my back. I slipped my hand to the back of his head and ran my fingers through his hair, feeling a gasp escape my lips as I tried to breathe.

He moaned gently and moved so he was leaning over me. I instantly moved closer so that we were pressed together.

He slid his hands down my back to my hips, holding me tightly. I bit his lip gently and he moaned with a slight chuckle.

"Always so dominant, Detective," he said, his voice low, husky and seductive. I felt a thrill of arousal course through me and I shuddered.

Castle slipped a hand into my dressing gown and ran his fingertips along the underside of my breasts, making me tremble. He ran his thumb over my nipple and I gasped into the kiss.

He pulled back from me and let his fingers wander to the tie of my gown. I watched him with parted lips as he untied it and pulled it open. His gaze washed over me like warm sunlight and I reached forward to cup his cheek with my hand.

I helped him remove his shirt, revealing his slightly defined chest. I raked my nails down his bare back as he leant in and began kissing his way down my neck. I sighed breathlessly as he proceeded down my chest, taking each nipple into his hot, wet mouth.

He lay me down gently as he reached my abdomen, running his tongue along my bellybutton and down to the line of my undies.

I lifted my hips with a groan as he removed my underwear. I felt his eyes on my body, intent on capturing as much as he could.

"Kate, you are beautiful," he moaned, running his hands down my thighs, which parted for him instantly. Then he lowered his lips to me and ran his tongue along me.

I felt my breath hitch and I knotted my fingers in his hair as he lapped and teased me, humming slightly. The vibrations of the hum made my breath catch, and my back arch as the pleasure thrummed through my body.

Castle's fingers bit into my thighs and my ass as he took me into his mouth. My head fell back and my eyes flew shut.

He grinned wickedly as I heard myself gasp his name, feeling liquid hot arousal seep to my core.

"Kate, look at me. I want to see your eyes," he said, his voice pure seduction.

I forced my eyes open and nearly came there and then. He had wrapped my legs over his shoulders, so all I could see was his face nestled between my legs. His blue eyes were several shades darker than normal and were positively glowing with lust and arousal. His gaze was so intense that I felt it almost more than his tongue, which continued its assault on my sensitive bundle of nerves.

As he held me in place with that gaze, he took me into his mouth and slid a finger into me at the same time.

I cried out, feeling the heat spread through my body. My eyes shut again, and suddenly his mouth left me, only to be replaced by his thumb. He kissed up to my neck and my ear, continuing his stroking and thrusting below.

"Come on Kate, open your eyes, I need to see you."

I opened my eyes and found him face to face with me, watching me.

I slipped my hand down to rest on his, pushing him to move faster, thrust harder. He chuckled huskily and grabbed my hand. I cried out shakily as his hand stopped.

"Castle, please," I gasped, needing him to touch me. He lifted my hands above my head, pinning them there before leaning forward to whisper in my ear.

"No, Kate, stop controlling. Let me control this, control you. Just let me love you."

_Let me love you._

The words rang in my ear and he met my eyes, knowing that he had let it slip. He continued to hold my hands above my head, but seeing the slight panic and shock in my eyes, he did something that no other lover had done.

He gently ran a hand down my cheek before looping it under my necklace. I felt my eyes fill with tears as he pulled my mother's ring around so that it sat on my collarbone.

He was the first lover to touch it. The first one to acknowledge that I was scared, and hurt. To see that I was so deeply, truly petrified of love and that I needed someone so badly but couldn't let anyone in. I felt myself trembling from head to toe.

He searched my eyes before lowering his lips to my neck, kissing it softly. Then, he ever so gently, touched his lips to her ring. It wasn't sexual or arousing, but it touched my heart so strongly that the tears began streaming down my face.

"Rick," I breathed, unable to say just how I felt.

He carefully kissed away the tears and I closed my eyes, relishing his touch.

"Kate listen to me, I'm not going anywhere. After all this time, you _know_ how I feel about you. I won't say it, because I'll scare you away and I don't want to push you. But you _know._"

I nodded, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"But for me to do that, you need to _let_ me in. You have to _let me_ love you. Okay?" He whispered, letting our foreheads touch softly. His fingers brushed her ring again. "This is what's holding you back. One day, we'll put it to rest. I promise."

I took a deep, shaky breath before nodding again. A smile filled his face, and it took my breath away. It was full of promise, love, adoration and awe. And it was mine. He was mine.

I smiled, suddenly feeling happier than I had in a long time. He captured my lips in a passionate kiss, conveying all of the care and tenderness of our conversation.

He ran his hand down my neck and across my necklace again, before travelling down my hips.

He ran a finger down me and I let out a soft cry, feeling my whole body tense.

"Rick, I need you, please," I managed to gasp, digging my nails into his back.

He slid two fingers in, rubbing with his thumb at the same time. I wrapped my legs around his hips and moaned, knowing I wasn't going to last long.

"Rick, _please,_" I begged. He shook his head slightly against my cheek before looking into my eyes again.

"I want to watch you, Katherine Beckett. I want to watch you come undone for me. But I can't do that when I'm in you, or I'll miss it. I'll miss that spark in your eyes, that moment when you fall into the passion. That little sound you'll make, the way your mouth will fall open. I want to see that. I _need_ to see that. That's the moment you let me in, when all of your defences are down."

His voice was lower than I had ever heard it, adding to the power of the tremors that had begun to shake my entire body.

He lowered his lips to my neck and kissed it as I felt myself get closer and closer. He began to whisper to me in an awestruck voice as he began to push in and out faster, curling his fingers to hit me _just there._

"I can feel it, Kate, you're almost there. No, no, look at me, don't close your eyes. That's it, come on, let me control you, worship you, God you're beautiful. I'm right here Kate, go on, let go. I'll catch you, I promise. Just let me take down those walls you've put up. Please Kate, let go."

I felt my whole body tense under his touch and then it hit me. I forced my eyes to stay open, meeting his gaze as he pushed me into my climax. All I could hear over the pounding of my heart and gasping of my lungs was his voice. I couldn't focus on what he was saying, but I could hear him.

And as I came undone under his touch, there had never been a sweeter sound.

Rick finally slowed down, helping me ride out my high, kissing me tenderly as the sweat dripped down my bare body.

I was trembling from head to toe, but as I came back to my senses, I realized that he was still in track pants. Track pants that seemed way too small for him.

I smiled sweetly at him before pushing him down. I rolled carefully, straddling him. In a heartbeat I had pulled his track pants and boxers down, revealing his swollen arousal.

I felt a fresh wash of heat flush over me, and I could feel the lust radiating from him.

With a smile I leant down and kissed his neck, feeling him press into my stomach. I deliberately bit hard enough to mark, and he chuckled slightly as he realized I was getting payback.

I trailed lazy kisses down his stomach, running my nails down his chest and stomach. I gently nipped the inside of his thigh with my teeth, smiling as he twitched and groaned slightly.

I looked up and met his eyes as I took him into my mouth. He moaned, breath coming fast.

I gently ran my fingers along his balls as I ran my tongue along him. Rick ran his fingers through my hair and I felt a thrill of happiness as I realized he was gentle, unlike Josh, who had grabbed my hair and pushed me down with such force that I had almost suffocated. _No_, I chastised myself, refusing to think of Josh while I had Richard Castle in my mouth.

I grinned as Rick clearly struggled to restrain himself.

"Richard, you can be a bit rougher you know," I said in my lowest, most seductive voice.

His grip instantly tightened in my hair and I took him into my mouth again. His hips jerked slightly, and I met his eyes before taking his whole length in, a trick I was quite proud of.

His jaw dropped as I swallowed against him.

"Kate, oh God Kate, that's hot," he moaned almost incoherently as I continued to take him, letting him thrust into me. It surprised me how gentle he still was considering the situation.

I continued, using all of my knowledge to take care of him. Finally, he yelped and jerked his hips almost erratically. He took my face in his hands and pulled me to him so that he could kiss me.

We kissed passionately and he groaned as I crawled up his body, letting his arousal rub against my stomach and thighs.

I paused to catch my breath, our faces still together. He bit my lip as I panted, our breath mingling. He slipped a finger to my center and began to rub and touch again.

I reached down myself and took his length in my hand, lining it up with my wet entrance.

"Rick," I breathed as I lowered myself onto him, letting out a breathy sigh as he filled me completely.

After a moment, I lifted again, letting him slide out deliciously slowly before lowering my body again. He groaned against my lips again as I set a slow, steady pace. He continued pleasuring me with one hand, his other hand steady on my lower back.

He met me with each thrust, the room filled with the sound of skin on skin and our heated gasps. We fit so intimately, that soon enough, I felt myself start to lose control.

I lowered my mouth to his neck as he started thrusting harder. Pressing my teeth into his neck, I smothered my cries as the waves began coursing through my body. I felt myself clench around him, almost stopping his now wild thrusts.

As I hit my high, he let go of my back and pulled my face to his. We locked lips just as I felt a scream rip through my body, and he swallowed it. He then moaned as he came too, emptying himself into me.

He continued for as long as he could, before I collapsed on top of him. We grew still, a fine sheen of sweat coating our bodies.

I lay with my head on his chest, listening to the pounding of his heart, feeling myself calm down. He stroked my hair gently, content with the comfortable silence that had fallen between us as we lay, completely exhausted.

I felt heavy, completely spent. But I felt safe and happier than I had in a long time. I had never been one for cuddling after sex, but this was the best feeling I had ever felt. And I knew that it wasn't_ just_ sex with Richard Castle.

It was making love.

I was too tired to let that thought scare me, and I promised myself that I wouldn't run away from Rick as I dozed off into a peaceful slumber.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey,**

**Well, it's been a while, but my life is currently quite hectic, with so much happening at school, and doing extra shifts at work, I've just been far too tired to do any writing. I guess I've had some writer's block, but shh, we don't talk about that ;)**

**It doesn't help that this was a long chapter, and I'm really not sure if I like it at all, and there's nothing worse than doubt in your own creation. Oh well.**

**So guys, when you've read it, pretty please review it, so that I know if I'm actually doing alright, or if this is total rubbish, so I can focus on improving. **

**As you all know, none of the characters are mine, I just enjoy playing with them. Also, I have no Beta, so all of the mistakes are mine alone. **

**Don't forget to review, and enjoy! **

**Much Love x**

* * *

><p>A small sigh escaped my lips as I felt consciousness returning to me. I felt so warm, and somehow my bed felt different; warmer, and not as empty. Then as the haze of sleep started clearing from my mind, I registered the arms wrapped comfortably around my waist. My eyes flew open.<p>

My mind struggled to process what was going on, remembering exactly what had happened the previous night. My body tingled pleasantly at those thoughts, bringing up goosebumps on my skin.

I felt Rick's even breathing in my ear, and finally realized what position we were in. He was wrapped around my waist, his legs intertwining with mine. His head was on the pillow right behind me, his face buried in my hair.

I then realized I had never woken up in someone's arms before. Sure, I'd fallen asleep cuddling before, but we'd usually rolled apart while asleep. Yet there I was, waking up in Castle's arms. _Wow_.

I breathed a sigh of contentment, rolling over in his arms to face him. He pulled me closer, barely stirring. I studied his features.

Asleep, Richard Castle looked much older. Without the brilliant, youthful twinkle in his eyes and the constant cheeky smile, the frown lines became much more apparent.

My heart ached as I realized that the two divorces and publicity had taken a toll, even if he didn't show it. Underneath the playboy attitude and the handsome, cheeky writer extraordinaire, he was broken too. He had raised Alexis on his own, all the while writing his best sellers.

My eyes filled up slightly and I didn't resist the urge to reach out and touch his face. His stubble felt wonderfully rough under my fingertips as I gently ran them down his cheek and jaw.

He stirred slightly, breathing a small sigh. I rolled in closer to him, tucking myself into his chest. I tilted my head and kissed the bottom of his jaw softly, smiling against the pleasant prickle from his stubble.

His fingers pressed into my back and I had a flashback of the previous night. I pressed my lips against his neck a little harder, nipping slightly before smoothing over with my tongue as I felt the heat coil in my belly.

Rick pulled his body close around mine, burying his face into my hair. He let out a long sigh. I snaked a hand down his stomach, running my nails along his ribs.

"I could get used to waking up like this," he mumbled into my hair.

I tilted my head back and met his eyes, which were now wide awake. His piercing blue gaze held mine as his hands crept under the curve of my ass, pressing his fingers into my flesh.

Our lips met in a tender kiss, not as fiery as the previous night, but just as passionate. I pulled away and buried my face into his neck, inhaling his scent.

He held me close, our bodies fitting together perfectly. I listened to his breathing, feeling the steady rise and fall of his chest against mine. I couldn't remember the last time I had felt so content and comfortable in someone's arms.

I had never been one for cuddling or being intimate; it was something that had always made me uncomfortable. My therapist, of course, had blamed it on the loss of my mother. I _knew _that was the reason. The fear of letting someone in knowing how cruel the world could be was so strong, so overpowering, that I had just stopped trying to fight it.

_But __of __course,__Castle _had _to __be __the __exception_, I thought to myself, rolling my eyes. He always had to be the odd one out. I made a mental not to let him know that. His ego was already too big.

I let a slight chuckle out at the thought, and I felt Castle smile into my hair.

"What's so funny?" he asked, running his fingers up my back.

"Nothing," I smiled, rolling back so I could see his face, "Luckily for you, I don't have to be at work until later, unless someone calls me in."

He grinned wickedly, his blue eyes glowing. He pressed his fingers into my back, pulling me closer. I felt his hard on pressing against my thigh and I smiled.

"You know what," he breathed as his fingers crept down my stomach, "That smile, right there, is my favourite. I know you're happy when you smile like that, all teeth, with no worries or fears. I live for that smile."

"Wow Castle, are you always this sickly sentimental in the mornings?" I said in an attempt to stop the blush from creeping onto my face. I struggled to keep a mocking tone as his fingers slid across my already wet center, making a slight gasp leave my lips.

He stared me straight in the eyes, burning his gaze into mine as his face turned serious.

"No. I'm never like this. Only with you." He said quietly, before kissing me fiercely. I moaned into the kiss before pulling away. He rested his forehead against mine, his hands on my hips for the moment.

In the comfortable yet sexually tense silence that fell for a brief moment, my ears picked up the vibration of a phone.

"Damn it!" I cursed, scrabbling off of the bed and pushing aside the pants on the floor.

"Is it there?" Castle asked, and I looked up to see him kneeling over, trying to look for the phone.

In doing so, he gave me a perfect view of his erection, and I felt my mouth fall open and heat pool to my belly. My hands finally found the source of the vibration, and it was then I realized I was unable to tear my eyes from him. I saw a smug look cover his face.

With the natural ease that came from being on call constantly, I pressed the green button and had it at my ear in a split second without averting my gaze from his groin. I cleared my throat and tried to sound normal.

"Beckett."

Silence met my ears for a few moments. Then...

"Detective Beckett. To what do I owe this pleasure?" Martha Rodger's voice was a complex mixture of shock, joy and something that sounded very smug.

My heart dropped. I tore my eyes away from Castle's hard on and looked at the phone in my hands. I gritted my teeth as I realized it was Castle's.

"Well then Detective, I am assuming you can tell me where my son has disappeared to, as you _are_ answering his phone. He's at your apartment, yes? Or have you finally killed him and disposed of the body?"

I felt the blush crawl up my cheeks as Castle started laughing. I shot him my most powerful evil glare, and he started laughing even harder as I tried to work out what to say.

"Martha, it's...not, um, Rick's just..." I mentally cursed my brain for the lack of coherent speech.

"So it's _Rick_ now? Ah, I would recognize that laugh anywhere. Kate darling, it's okay. It's just a phone call. It would have been worse if I'd walked in on the both of you naked. Relax, Detective." Martha said in her elegant tones, a slight laugh in her voice.

"No, we're not, wait, what?" I stammered before she cut me off.

"Of course you aren't. Keep telling yourself that, now, can I speak to my son? And darling, don't worry and don't for one moment be embarrassed. I'm not one to judge. I'm happy for you both."

I took a deep breath, pushed the phone at Castle and ran for the bathroom.

Slamming the door behind me, I covered my face in my hands, feeling myself tremble slightly. Glancing at the mirror, I saw the red blush on my face and couldn't help but laugh a little. Martha always managed to catch us.

I then took a closer look at myself and at the marks Castle had left. They were starting to fade in colour slightly, leaving them as dark, dull bruises. I managed to see two fresh ones and I shook my head in exasperation.

I looked at the steri-strips on my face and tenderly touched the bruised area. The area around the bandage was purple and black, but luckily not too painful to touch. I was suddenly glad of my high pain tolerance.

I grabbed my dressing gown and went to pull it on, but realized it was stained with blood. Frowning, I threw it into the dirty wash basket.

A few seconds later, the door opened and Castle slipped in, closing the door softly.

He came up behind me and buried his nose in my hair, wrapping his arms around my waist.

"Sorry about Mother. She can't help herself," he muttered softly, pressing a kiss to my head.

I shook my head.

"I can't believe I answered the wrong phone. It's your fault you know, you and your _distractions_," I said, my eyes twinkling as I remembered how my attention had been hooked on his hard on.

"Oh yeah, well my distractions and I blame you and your unbelievable hotness. So therefore, it's your fault," he said, watching my face in the reflection in the mirror.

I snorted. "Yeah right!"

His face turned serious.

"Kate, listen to me."

He gently began to trail his fingers over my arms, over the skin of my shoulders and back.

"I have so many words in my head; so many descriptive terms of beauty and flawlessness. I'm a writer, that's my job. I have to know how to describe the indescribable. But this..."

He ran a finger over the alabaster curve of my breast and I felt my eyes grow heavy.

"This, I cannot describe. I've never been the type of man to be rendered speechless. In fact, it barely happens. Yet I cannot for the life of me, describe your beauty in words that do you justice. And I don't mean outer beauty, though you are gorgeous. It's your heart that truly shines. Your heart, your soul and your mind are truly stunning to behold, and I am constantly in awe of your courage, your depth and your compassion."

He rested one hand on my hip, reaching up the other to brush his fingertips down my jaw, along my cheek. I felt a knot in my throat and a warm smile found my mouth.

I heard the cogs turning in his head and the corner of his mouth lifted into the beginning of a smug smile.

"Rick! Don't ruin this moment with a joke. Don't do it!" I laughed, smacking him lightly.

His eyes twinkled as he turned me around to look me in the face.

"Ah, Katherine Beckett, you know me far too well," he said with a laugh. "Do you want to go and grab a shower, and I'll cook us some breakfast?"

"No, I can help," I said, just as my stomach let out a restless growl.

Castle laughed, before pulling me in for a quick peck. I pressed myself against him and deepened the kiss, wrapping my arms around his neck.

We pulled apart, and he watched me carefully for a moment.

"You called me Rick," he said quietly, a stunning smile on his face. He brushed my hair out of my eyes, running his hands down my sides.

I smiled slightly, realizing that he was right. I had been calling him Rick, without even thinking about it.

"Yeah well, things _have _changed a little bit," I muttered, averting my gaze slightly.

He kissed me again, pulling me into a world that revolved around his tongue and teeth, his smell, the way he tasted and felt and the way he held me close.

I giggled slightly as I felt his arousal press against my thigh. I pulled back and let my hand sneak down his stomach, trailing along his bellybutton.

To my surprise, he stopped my hand and gave me a quick peck.

"No, I want to cook you breakfast, and that won't help," he said with a laugh.

"But..." I gestured to his erection, shocked that he would stop me when his body clearly wanted it.

"Oh don't worry about that, it goes away on its own eventually. Trust me; I've had a few years to practice it,"

His eyes shone playfully as I realized what he was implying. I scrunched up my face and smacked him lightly on his arm.

"Hey! Well it's not my fault you're so attractive _and_ such a tease!" he said defensively, pouting slightly.

He turned around and started leaving the room. I let myself openly admire his ass as he left with a cheeky grin on his face.

I pulled my necklace off, smiling as I recalled Castle's actions the previous night. Running a hand along the marks on my neck, I felt a jolt of heat course through my body.

I scrambled to the shower, pulling myself in and dousing myself in cold water. I felt a ragged gasp leave my lips as the freezing water slid down my skin like daggers.

When I was satisfied that the icy cold water had cooled me down, I turned on the warm water and began washing my hair. The scent of cherries that Castle enjoyed so much wafted around me gently, and I smiled as I remembered how I'd bought it on a whim, and I hadn't been convinced to keep using it until Castle had commented on it. And just like that, it had become part of my daily ritual.

I washed myself off after conditioning and stood for a while under the water, musing over the events of the past days. My cheek stung a little, and my stomach flipped slightly.

I had slept with Richard Castle. More than once.

Yet the bit that puzzled me the most was his care and comfort that he had provided, after we'd slept together. I wasn't just a conquest; I meant more than that.

And his earlier comment; _let __me __love __you._ I felt something thrill through me, a complex mix of fear, amazement, happiness, and something else. Something stronger. Something that felt like home.

With that thought on my mind, I turned the taps off and climbed out of the shower, grabbing a large white towel and drying my face. Luckily my cheek wasn't too swollen or sore, just bruised and a bit cut up.

I wrapped the towel around myself, running a brush through my hair quickly. Deciding with a smirk to keep the dress code to a minimum, I sauntered out in the towel, my boldness shocking me a little.

My stomach growled as the smell of fresh pancakes hit my nose. Déjà vu followed not long after as I saw Castle in my kitchen, flipping a pancake onto a plate. I remembered one of our cases, where he'd stayed over and he had opened the door to find the next victim at his feet.

"Wow Castle, how've you managed this?" I said happily, knowing how little there was in my fridge.

He turned around with a smile that quickly turned into a bewildered grin as he saw what I was wearing. Wrapping his hands around my hips, he laughed.

"Yeah, I had to go across the hall to ask for eggs and milk, but the little old lady there was so kind. She recognized me, said she liked my books." I instantly froze, the smile dropping from my face.

"You went across? To Mrs. Peters? Castle please, tell me you didn't," I said desperately. His jaw dropped.

"What, what's wrong with that?" He stammered, instantly panicking.

I groaned. "She's only the biggest, maddest Castle fan out there. Oh, and the theory that old people are hopeless with technology, totally a myth with her. She's subscribed to all of your pages, including twitter and she even has her own blog."

Castle groaned; his grimace making it clear he had cottoned on to what that meant.

"That'll be up there in five minutes, if that," I said, feeling slightly panicky. I wasn't prepared for our intimate affairs to be splashed across newspapers and internet sites all across the globe.

I headed straight for my laptop, flipping it open and logging in. Trying my best to hide the computer screen from Castle, I opened the favourites bar and clicked onto one of the biggest Castle fan websites. In a heartbeat I had hit the logout option so that he couldn't see my username.

I didn't need him to know how much of a fan I was.

"Was that...Wait, are you..." He trailed off, a grin starting to appear on his face. "You've got a user on my website. How many others are you subscribed to?"

I glared at him before directing my attention back to the computer, avoiding his question.

With ease I brought up a separate window, a chat forum between Castle fans from all across the globe. My heart thudded as I spotted a comment from DearestCastle91. Mrs. Peter's penname.

The comment read "You'll never guess who knocked at my door this morning to ask for milk and eggs. Richard Castle, clearly barely just out of bed. He's really such a sweetheart in real life, and obviously cares about his lady friend a lot to be cooking her breakfast."

I breathed a massive sigh of relief.

"Phew, at least she's smart enough to leave out your name. Sorry Kate, the thought didn't even occur to me," Rick said quietly, looking like a scolded child.

"Don't worry about it. You weren't to know," I said with a smile, brushing my fingers along his hand. He grabbed my hand in his with a smile, lacing his fingers through mine.

"How exactly did you know she was a fan?" He asked slyly, and I blushed and stood up to go to the kitchen.

"No, no, no, you have to tell me!" he said with a laugh, pulling me back with a grin.

His eyes were glittering playfully as he wrapped his arms around me. I really didn't want to explain it all to him, to tell him that he had helped me with my mother's murder before he had even met me. That I had waited for a book signing for so long just to get his autograph.

I took a deep breath and opened my mouth, just as my phone went off. A smile found my lips.

"Hah. I have to go and get that, so if you don't mind..." I said smugly, unwrapping myself from his arms.

He narrowed his eyes at me, in a glare that told me that it wasn't over yet.

I gulped and ran to get my phone, trying to make sure the towel didn't fall down. Grabbing it, I double checked that it was my phone before answering it.

"Beckett."

"Yo Beckett, are you coming in today?" Esposito sounded strange, as though he was stressed out. He sounded strained, his usually casual manner sounding somewhat forced.

"Yeah, Esposito I shouldn't be too long. Have you guys found something?" I said, turning around to see Castle at my desk, picking up _Gathering __Storm,_ the first in the Castle line. It was also the book that I had taken to the signing and gotten him to sign, along with the newer book. It was my most treasured and well-read book, but he couldn't know that.

My heart stopped as I realized that I also had my printed photograph with him in the first pages, next to the signed page. I couldn't let him see it.

"Castle! Put that down!" I hissed, running forward to grab it from him.

With a sly smirk, he twirled out of my reach and moved away so I couldn't grab him.

"Castle? Castle's at your apartment?" Esposito sounded wonderfully intrigued and I cursed silently. "Am I interrupting something?"

"The only thing you're interrupting is me killing him. He came around to, um, drop something off." I said, trying my best to sound casual. I gulped as he turned around, a surprised expression on his face as he held up the photograph and pointed at the signature.

_Damn it. _

"Right," Esposito said mockingly, then he turned serious again. "No, we're still chasing up old case files, but..." He trailed off tentatively.

"What is it, Esposito?" I asked quietly.

He took a deep breath. "To be honest Beckett, we're worried about you. You shouldn't be alone at the moment, _especially_ because we don't know where this dirtbag is. That makes us edgy. Plus, we can't do anything about it when you're not here."

My heart swelled slightly as I heard the concern in Esposito's voice. My boys, God how I loved them.

He cleared his throat, obviously in an attempt to sound manlier.

"Also, we've got nothing. Castle's usually some help when we've got zip, so I thought with you two brains here, we might actually get somewhere."

I laughed as I heard a sound of protest from Ryan in the background.

"So, we'll see you soon then?" Esposito added anxiously, slightly quieter than before. I smiled.

"Yeah, no worries Esposito, we'll be there soon. Oh, and thank you." I said quietly.

"No worries, Beckett, any time."

I hung up and looked up with a scowl prepared for Castle. I recoiled as I saw him holding my book open to the front page, the photo of the two of us held in his other hand. His eyes were shining.

"W-what?" I stammered, folding my arms and trying to work out how I was going to explain.

"How long?" He said softly, tapping the message and signature.

"How long until what?" I asked, pulling the towel around me self consciously.

"How long ago was this?"

"A while," I said shortly, turning away to go back to the kitchen. He ran after me, catching my wrist and stopping me.

"Kate, wait," he said, turning me to face him. "Please, tell me."

I took a deep, shuddering breath, a single tear rolling down my cheek.

"I waited over an hour for that signing. In the line. It was hot that day too, but there was no way in hell I was giving up my spot. I-I started reading your books after they killed my mother..." I breathed, avoiding his eyes.

I heard him take a small gasp as he realized what that implied. He pulled me close, wrapping his arms around me.

I blinked hard as he squeezed me tight, trying to stop the tears from starting. This man had helped me before he even knew me, and somehow he still managed to do it without even trying.

I cleared my throat and slipped out of his arms.

"It's okay, I'm just being silly. The boys want us in at work, so we'd best get ready. You should probably go home and get something else to wear..." I trailed off, making myself busy by buttering a pancake and avoiding his gaze.

"Kate, it's not silly," Castle said softly, making no move toward me. I was glad that he kept his distance; I knew deep down that I was barely holding onto my composure.

"Oh, and no I don't need to go home. I thought about it and..." He trailed off, his eyes darting to the door. Beside the door was a small overnight bag that I was too distraught to see him drop the night before.

"Wow Rick," I said coyly, "Don't you worry that you might be getting a little ahead of yourself?"

He froze for a moment until I laughed, and he heaved a sigh.

I ate a pancake, and he watched me for a while before coming forward to eat his own. We stayed in a comfortable silence, one that had become so natural. I felt happier than I had in a long time, and my mind flicked back to the way we had woken up. A small smile found my lips as a warm feeling oozed into my chest.

"What?" Castle said from across the counter where he was cleaning pots.

"Nothing, I'll tell you another time," I said, walking over and patting his cheek softly.

"Kate," he said, drawing out the 'a' like a whiny five year old. "Please?"

"Castle you should know by now that the irritating little boy act doesn't work on me," I opened the fridge to put away the milk bottle, and heard him walk closer.

"Perhaps I'll try I different approach then," he said huskily and as I turned to face him he grabbed my wrists, backing me into the fridge door. He lifted them above my head, pinning me with his body.

A slight 'oh' left my lips as I felt the heat surge through my body and a slight growl left Castle's lips. He pressed his hot mouth to the space of neck below my ear, running his tongue along my earlobe gently and causing a gasp to leave my lips and a tremble to run through my body.

"Tell me," he breathed, his hips grinding against mine. I felt my entire body yearning for him as my heart pounded in my chest.

My mind and body were engaged in a desperate battle. My mind knew that telling him meant defeat, and I couldn't give in that easily. My body however, was reacting quite differently to the small nips he was now delivering to my neck and the way he was pressing his whole body against mine.

The towel started to slide down my chest, and he swapped so that he was holding both of my hands in one of his and slid the other down the curve of my breast and down to my thigh. There, he slowly started inching it up the inside of the towel.

I felt his touch flowing through my veins, heating my blood. As I was normally the dominant partner, especially in sexual situations, I felt strangely aroused by the fact that he had me pinned against something, totally in his control.

Finally, I managed to choke out words against the pounding of the blood in my ears and the rasping of my own breath.

"No."

He released me instantly, stepping back to look at me with his lust-darkened eyes.

The towel, no longer held up by his body, fell to the floor in a white pool of material. I whimpered as my body instantly missed his touch.

"Rick, come back. Please," I whispered.

He shook his head with a sly smile on his face.

"Oh no, Detective, that's not how this works," he said in a low, seductive voice. "You give me what I want, and I give you what you want. Simple as that."

"Castle!" I said, trying to sound snappy and unimpressed, gritting my teeth as it came out sounding like a breathy moan. "You can't leave me like this!"

"I can't? Remember you've spent the last few years teasing me and leaving me hot and bothered. The times are numerous; magic tricks with ice cubes, undercover situations, Russian accents, the way you danced against me in that nightclub, that swimsuit...shall I continue?" His eyes were sparkling.

"Now it's my turn. I'm going to go and get ready to go now, I suggest you do the same or else the boys will get suspicious."

With that, he turned around, grabbed his bag, and went to the bathroom.

I finally gained enough composure to close my mouth, which had fallen open in shock, and realize that my towel was on the floor and I was totally naked.

I grabbed the towel and wrapped it around myself with shaky hands before heading off to get ready.

We got into the car around half an hour later. I checked my cheek in the review mirror. No matter how much concealer I used, the bruising was still as clear as day. It looked ugly and painful, and I rearranged my hair so that it fell over my cheek as much as possible.

I knew however, that there was no chance of hiding it from the boys or Lanie. Oh God, Lanie. I made a mental note to avoid the morgue at all costs.

"Now, Rick. I don't need to tell you how important it is that we keep this a secret. Ryan and Esposito are going to be on alert after that phone call, so let's just make sure that things look as normal as possible, okay?" I said, putting the keys in the ignition.

Castle nodded. "This is going to be horrible," he said, turning to face me. "All day, I'm going to be thinking about you, but now I've got actual memory, rather than just fantasy."

I blushed and smiled, before catching myself and regaining my poker face.

"So before we go and while I still can, come here," he said softy, leaning over the seat and taking my face gingerly in his hand.

I sank into his touch instantly as our lips met. It was soft, tender and incredible. My fingers buried themselves into his hair as we stayed together as long as we could.

When we had to part for air, I rested my forehead against his for a brief moment, before sitting back in my seat and starting the car.

Half way through the drive to the precinct, I felt his hand creep over to my leg. He rested it on my upper thigh, rubbing his fingers ever so gently along the inside of my thigh.

I felt my hands clench the steering wheel as the warmth of his hand radiated through to my skin. My breath caught slightly.

He slid his fingers up so they were right at the top of my leg, with his fingers just a little too close. He found the zipper of my pants and applied just the slightest pressure, and I felt the heat pool and his touch spread through my body like electricity.

He squeezed his hand slightly and I gasped.

"Castle!" I breathed, "If you don't want me to crash, you have to move your hand."

He chuckled darkly and slowly began moving his hand down my leg. I felt myself tremble as his fingers pressed into my flesh, and I tried desperately to keep my focus on the road.

He kept his hand lower on my thigh for the whole car trip and I was relieved when we finally pulled up at the precinct.

Turning off the car and pulling out the keys, I practically fled the car. I marched around to the other side as Castle climbed out.

I pushed his door shut and leant on it, trapping him between the car door and my body. I poked him hard in the chest with my other finger.

"If you _ever_ do that again, I promise you'll regret it," I hissed, fighting off the tingles that were spreading through my body. I was only angry because he was working me up deliberately, knowing that I would refuse to do anything at work.

He grinned cheekily.

"Oh don't worry Detective, I'm sure I can handle whatever punishment you choose to hand out," he said slyly. I felt my teeth clench and I turned on my heel and headed for the Precinct.

I felt my stomach turn as I stood nervously in the elevator. Castle waited by my side as always, and his presence was calming, reassuring. I felt his care and concern for me, and I drew on it for strength.

The doors slid open and I stalked out, brushing my hair across my cheek again.

Putting my things down at my desk, I heard a call from the break room.

"Yo, Beckett!" Esposito and Ryan filed out with fresh coffee in hand, looking relieved to see me.

"Hey Esposito, Ryan," I said with a nod and a smile, trying to keep my cheek turned away.

"Coffee machine's still on, if you want one," Esposito said, "well, that's if, Castle here hasn't already provided you with a morning fix..."

My head snapped up as I glared at him, watching the cheeky, insinuating smirk drop from his face.

"No Esposito, Castle and I did _not_ have sex this morning. He came over to drop off a book to me, and then he stayed for breakfast. It's not a crime," I heard Ryan laughing and turned my head to fix my glare on him instead.

Esposito let out a strangled cry as the turn of my head revealed my cheek.

"Beckett, what happened?" I shut my eyes and cursed my carelessness. So much for keeping it a secret.

"Nothing, Esposito. Just me being careless," I said abruptly, turning away. I felt Castle tense beside me.

Esposito stepped closer. "Careless my ass. Who the hell did that to you Beckett?"

I looked up and saw him positively trembling with rage. Behind him Ryan looked angrier than I had ever seen him. I felt my heart ache as I was reminded of how much I loved these guys.

"I had a run in with a bathroom counter. That's all you guys need to know about it. I don't want you killing anyone," I said shortly, desperate to keep Josh out of the conversation. I didn't like him, but I wasn't sure I wanted to be trying to bail the boys out of jail for assault.

"Hey, who did it? I'm not going to murder him, but please, tell us so that we know," Esposito stepped forward and gently grasped my elbow. I stopped instantly.

"Please Beckett, we're your guys. If we can't look after you..." He trailed off softly, Ryan moving in to stand with us. My eyes filled with tears, and I felt Castle rest his hand on my lower back, supporting me.

"Nothing serious happened, Josh and I broke up last night," I felt Esposito's hand tighten and Ryan's jaw clenched. "He didn't hit me, if that's what you're thinking. I actually just fell and hit my cheek. It wasn't that bad, just a bit of bruising."

A tear fell and I swiped it away furiously.

"If I ever see that punk again..." Esposito said, his voice deathly quiet. Ryan nodded his agreement.

I searched around my pockets for my phone, before I heard Esposito's phone go off behind me.

I looked up and found him texting rapidly, and I felt my stomach lurch.

"Esposito, you had better not be doing what I think you're doing," I said in horror, knowing that he would probably tell Lanie.

He shook his head slightly, but I knew he was lying. I darted forward to steal his phone from him, but he scooted away.

"Sorry Beckett, you need her. Plus, it's already done," he said in a low voice as I heard the elevator doors ping behind me. I turned around to see Lanie hurrying towards me.

I gulped.

"Kate, oh God Kate what the hell did he do to you? I'm so going to kick his ass, just let me at him," Lanie said breathlessly, gently pushing my hair out of the way to inspect my face.

"Lanie please calm down, you're drawing attention to us. I think I left my phone in the car. I'll fill you in on the way," I said quietly, still searching my pockets for my phone. She nodded, her face twisted with concern and rage.

I headed for the elevator, Lanie keeping up with me. I fought back a laugh as I realized she was still in her blue scrubs, and she was getting strange looks as we passed other detectives.

"He came home early, Lanie. I was getting ready for a bath, and he just...turned up," I said, once the elevator doors had closed behind us.

Lanie's jaw dropped, and her hand found my arm.

"I kept him at a distance and went to go and get dressed. Before I went, he tried kissing me and I just felt smothered, uneasy." I took a deep breath, refusing to look at her.

"I was looking for my clothes when he came in, and wrapped himself around me from behind. He started kissing me and pulling at my robe...until he saw the marks. Then he...he got angry and started swearing and yelling at me for cheating on him, demanding to know who it was."

A tear slid past my closed eyelids and I felt Lanie tense.

"Then Castle rang me, and Josh saw the caller ID and put two and two together. He wanted to speak to Castle, but there was no way in hell I was going to let that happen. I had the phone in my hands, and he lost it...he told me not to be a bitch and then he lunged for the phone. We struggled and I fell and hit my face on the counter."

By this point I was shaking from head to toe and Lanie was holding me close.

"He sort of snapped out of it and tried grabbing me, but I overpowered him and marched him to the door, grabbed my gun. He-he saw my whole body, and threatened to kill Castle. I then told him I'd shoot him if he ever came back."

The sobs had started to rack my chest, my breaths coming as slight gasps.

"A-and that's w-when I called C-castle. God Lanie, how d-did I let this become such a m-mess?"

"Oh come here girl," Lanie said in distress, grabbing me and pulling me into her arms. I stood in her embrace until the elevator pinged and the doors slid open.

She looked at my face, and I smiled a watery smile, wiping the tears away.

We walked to my car and I unlocked it, climbing in the front seat to see that my phone was lying forgotten in the middle console. I wasn't surprised that I had forgotten it after Castle's tricks in the car.

I grabbed it and climbed out, locking the door behind me. As we stepped back into the elevator, Lanie's expression briefly showed her true emotions. I actually feared for Josh's life as the air almost crackled with the power of her anger, before she slid her poker face back on and looked at me.

"Please tell me Castle came over and didn't leave last night, or I'm going to have a serious talk to that boy," Lanie said, clearly trying to brighten the mood.

"Yeah, he did. He came over as soon as I called him, and he helped me clean up my face and curled up into bed with me. I wouldn't have slept if he didn't have his arms wrapped around me." I smiled, remembering the way we had fit so perfectly, neither one of us holding any expectations, which meant no pressure or uneasiness.

Lanie arched one perfect eyebrow. "So you're telling me that Castle came over and helped you after you broke up with your boyfriend, being your knight in shining armour, and you _didn__'__t _jump him?"

I laughed, knowing Lanie was only playing that card to stop me worrying about Josh.

"No Lanie, I didn't. But, I did wake up later at night..." My speech was interrupted by her shrill squeal of delight.

"Tell me everything! Go, go, go!" She shrieked, slapping me lightly on the arm as the doors opened.

I opened my mouth to reply, but no sound came out as I saw who was waiting for me, hiding from view near the door of the precinct.

Josh instantly stood up, meeting my gaze. My gaze hardened and my fists clenched. What part of _if __I __see __you __again __I __will __shoot __you _did this guy not get?

Lanie froze and frowned, before following my gaze. When she realized who was waiting in the corner she practically growled before stalking over to him.

"You!" She spat as I chased after her. "You had better get the _hell_ away from here very quickly, because I promise you that I _can_ kill you slowly and painfully and they will _never_ find the body."

I put a hand on her shoulder and felt her shaking with barely suppressed rage.

Josh was cowering slightly, obviously not expecting Lanie's reaction.

"I just, I wanted to talk to you," he looked at me, "Kate, I'm sorry."

I shook my head. "No, Josh, don't apologize. Just go. I don't want your apologies."

"Come on Kate, I mean, you were the one that cheated! You should be grateful I'm giving you another chance!" He said desperately, and Lanie snorted.

"Don't you dare speak to her like that," she said dangerously, poking him in the chest. "Leave. Now."

Just as Josh started to show signs of defeat, I heard footsteps behind me. Josh's eyes instantly narrowed and his jaw clenched. He shoved past me and I turned to see Castle standing in the walkway, fists bunched, his form visibly shaking due to the anger he held in check.

"You bastard," Josh spat, moving to shove Castle into the wall. As he grabbed his jacket, Castle's balled fist connected with Josh's nose. I heard a sickening crack and winced.

Josh and Castle instantly started attacking one another, and I ran forward, yelling at them. Fists were flailing and there was blood everywhere.

Esposito and Ryan came running out, looking shocked and confused until they saw who Castle was grappling with. Josh had him pinned to the floor and had just raised a fist when Esposito jumped him.

In less than ten seconds Esposito had delivered three well placed punches. The first was a blow to the liver, effectively paralyzing Josh, and the other two to his face.

I knew that the first blow was enough to stop Josh, and the second two was Esposito's way of punishing Josh. I couldn't blame him at all, and it was vaguely satisfying to see Josh in pain.

I rushed over to Castle and crouched over him, touching his face tenderly. His lip was split and his knuckles were covered with blood, whether it was his or Josh's I couldn't be sure.

I turned to see Esposito hauling Josh to the holding cells, and I let out a breath I hadn't been aware I was holding.

There was quite a crowd around us now, and I saw Lanie explaining the situation to the Captain.

I helped Castle sit up and winced as he spat blood.

"Son of a bitch," he muttered and I felt the tears well in my eyes.

"Rick I'm so sorry," I whispered so that only he could hear.

He shook his head a little, before grimacing. "Why are you sorry, it's not your fault he's such a jerk. Besides, I think I managed to get the best punch in at the beginning."

I felt myself begin to laugh slightly, and before long I was laughing hysterically out of shock and fear.

"Trust you to gloat in a situation like this," I managed to choke out. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up."

I took Castle to Lanie, and we headed down to one of the offices so that Lanie could take a look. He rinsed his mouth out and I felt ill at the sight of so much blood. When she finally looked at it though, it was just a split lip.

She examined his knuckles, which were covered in what turned out to be Josh's blood.

Lanie huffed slightly, her brow furrowed as she felt them gently.

"What?" Castle said, his face screwed up in pain.

"Well, you may have fractured your third metacarpal, but I'm not entirely sure. I'd go and get it x-rayed if I were you. Must have been a hell of a punch you threw back there." I had never heard Lanie so savagely pleased before.

Lanie looked between the two of us, letting a small smile find her lips, before turning and leaving the room. I heard the click of the door and instantly closed the gap between Castle and I.

I raised his hand to my lips and gently kissed it, brushing my lips across the tender, bruised third knuckle. I then pressed my lips gently against the split on his lip, barely providing pressure to avoid hurting him.

"I'm so sorry this is such a mess," I breathed, burying my head into his neck.

He wrapped his arms around me, holding me tightly.

"Kate, please stop apologizing. Neither of us planned this, and I know it wasn't exactly how I wanted us to start out. But as long as I've got you I'm happy."

I stayed for a while, just content to listen to the steady beat of his heart and the sound of his breathing in my ear.

Finally, when I knew we couldn't stay alone for much longer without raising suspicion, I pulled back.

Touching his cheek with my hand, I smiled slightly.

"Now then, my rugged hero, go and get that hand checked out," I took a deep breath. "I should go and sort out this mess."

He frowned. "No, I'll stay. I can help."

I laughed, "Castle, you were just fighting with him, you can't come with me to try and sort this out, it would be chaos. Plus, you need to make sure you're okay."

I leant forward, and met his lips softly. I didn't want to hurt him, but to my surprise he kissed me a little harder.

It wasn't passionate, just tender and loving. It spoke of his protection of me, and the way he had fought for me. I kissed him back, gently running my fingers over his stubble.

We pulled apart, savouring the moment for as long as we could. Then we both stood, and left the room. His eyes followed me to the door to the cells, and then he smiled before getting into the elevator.

I turned around and took a deep, steadying breath. I smoothed down my shirt, wiped my eyes and slipped into Detective mode so that I could face Josh.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey there,**

**I know that this has been a long time coming...please don't kill me! This really annoying distraction called life kept getting in the way. You know how it is. Anyway, I'm really entirely happy with this chapter, but oh well. Tell me what you all think anyway, the good the bad and the ugly.**

**I also have a request of you all. If you remember (it's been a while, I know) that I _did_ start this story as a continuation of the argument in _Knockout._ Now, I could continue that theme, and go on to have the fight with the Captain, and have that loss and how they deal with it as a couple, _or_I could send this story off on a random tangent, giving them different things to deal with and make it a totally new tale. What do you guys think? Send us a review, pretty pretty please, and help me send this story in the direction you want! Much love for those that do!**

**Also, I'd like to send out a big thank you to my gorgeous girl Lauren, who kept badgering me to write more, and eventually forced me into finishing this chapter, and read it over for me. Without her, I probably wouldn't have finished it. Mwa!**

**Anyway, that's enough from me. The usual, I don't own these characters as you all know, and enjoy it, send me lots of lovely and critical reviews - they are my drugs!**

**Love and kisses! x**

* * *

><p>I stalked into the corridor and stopped outside of Josh's cell, the click of my heels signaling my arrival. I faced the cage and took a breath, knowing it was crucial to keep my own emotions in check.<p>

He sat on the cot, his face buried into a white towel that was soaked with blood. His head instantly lifted and I felt my jaw clench as I saw the result of both Castle and Esposito's handiwork.

His left eye and cheek was swollen and purple, and his nose was clearly broken and his face was streaked with blood.

"Kate..." he began as I opened the door and walked inside his cell briskly.

"Stop Josh. Just stop." I said, my voice shaking slightly with rage. I took another deep breath. "What the hell were you thinking, attacking my _partner_ in the middle of a police precinct?"

He snorted. "That bastard, your partner? Good joke; he's a writer not a cop."

My fists balled slightly as I felt anger course through my veins.

"He's a volunteer assistant homicide detective, and while he's here and working with us, he's part of the force and part of the team." I curled my hands into fists as I spoke.

"Right," Josh said sarcastically and I felt a tick start in my jaw. "So he's your partner _and_ your lover. How's that working out for you?"

I flinched inwardly at the bitterness in his voice, before reminding myself that he did have good reason to hate Castle. My jaw was beginning to ache. Yet as I watched Josh, he seemed to sigh and crumble inwardly, suddenly seeming far smaller on the bland white cot.

"Look Kate, I'm sorry. I never planned for any of this. I'm not usually this guy," he smiled slightly, looking sadly at the bloody towel in his hands before continuing. "I just...you just drive me crazy."

He met my eyes and I looked away. I hadn't bargained on him saying that. I kept my gaze unfocused and spoke in what I hoped would come across as serious and professional.

"Josh, regardless of the story behind what happened before, I have a whole building of eye witnesses, and almost all of them are cops. I can't let this go; it's going to be booked and put onto your record. I can't do any more than warn you about it."

I turned on my heel and began to head towards the door. As I reached it however, I heard a scuffle behind me and suddenly Josh had wrapped his hands around my hips, his face buried into my neck.

"Don't leave me Kate," he whispered and I felt a slight drop of blood smear onto my neck as he pressed against me.

"Don't touch me," I growled, trying to push him away. He clung harder, his hands sliding down my hips towards my most intimate areas.

"Please, I know you must feel _something_." He sounded almost feverish with desperation, and when his fingertips pushed into my inner thigh, I bucked him off of me and spun around.

I grabbed the front of his shirt and slammed him to the wall, hearing the breath forced from his lungs in a short gasp.

"That's sexual harassment, and unless you want to be in even more trouble than you already are, I wouldn't dare continue. Also, if you think Esposito was nasty before, I guarantee you _don't_ want to see him when he finds out you forced yourself upon me," I said in a low, menacing voice as he tried to get his breath back.

I turned around once again and felt his hand grab my wrist. As I spun to meet his gaze I pulled my gun. His eyes were filled with fear as he found himself staring into the muzzle of my Glock.

"Come on Kate," he whispered, barely able to make a sound.

"I said, don't touch me," I said in a voice deathly quiet with barely contained rage.

He closed his eyes and I left the cell as fast as I could.

On my way back through the precinct, Esposito made a beeline for me, his face only just concealing his rage.

"Okay, what the hell is going on?" I felt my stomach clench slightly; I'd never seen Esposito so angry. Did I have to tell him?

Esposito shook his head slightly.

"Oh no Beckett, I know that look. You're going to tell me what's really going on. No lies, no hiding anything," he said, dragging me into the break room. Ryan slipped into the room just as he was about to close the door.

Ryan's face was stony and almost unreadable. His normally soft baby blue eyes were glittering dangerously.

I knew there was no way I was getting away from the boys, and no lies I could tell would be sufficient enough to ease their anger and suspicion.

I sighed heavily and felt my composure and strength begin to crumble. They were my boys; if I couldn't trust them, who could I trust?

"I guess you all have bets on..." I trailed off before taking another deep, soothing breath. "Castle and I. Well, you can cash those in now."

Esposito raised his eyebrows and Ryan's eyes softened. Then, in an instant, they were smirking from ear to ear and congratulating me.

"Alright guys, it's not that big a deal," I said, feeling my cheeks grow warm.

"Are you serious? This is the _biggest_ deal ever! We've been waiting for you two to stop dancing around each other since we met the guy!" Esposito crowed, clapping his hands together and laughing.

The look on my face grounded them quite quickly, and within a few moments they were both quiet, though they both sported grins that the Cheshire cat would be proud of.

Esposito folded his arms.

"So hang on a moment Beckett, how does this all tie in with you and Josh?"

Ryan's face blanched slightly and a look of suspicion made his eyes narrow at me.

"Beckett...tell me you broke up with Josh before you and Castle got together..." Ryan said quietly, and Esposito glanced at him in shock before turning to stare at me.

I felt the all-familiar flush of guilt creeping up my neck, and Esposito and Ryan's jaws dropped.

"Jeez, no wonder the guy's thirsting for Castle's blood." Ryan mumbled.

Esposito turned towards Ryan in an instant. My ears struggled to pick up his angrily whispered comments.

"Not cool bro, I don't care what happened, no one touches Castle, let alone Beckett."

"No, I know, I'm feeling exactly the same...but still; can you blame him for fighting over someone like Beckett?"

Esposito narrowed his eyes and shook his head, before turning back to me. I tried to pretend I hadn't heard anything, while in my chest I felt a rush of affection for my boys.

"Right. So basically what you're telling me is; you and Castle finally get it together, and in the heat of it you don't have time to break things off with Josh. He finds out, gets nasty and jealous, and we end up beating it out of him in the precinct today."

Though Esposito was clearly on my side, I could hear the disapproval in his voice. Taking a deep breath, I nodded.

"Okay then. Where did Castle disappear to? I want a word with him." Esposito said, looking meaningfully at Ryan. I smiled slightly in sympathy for Castle; he was going to get a serious talking-to.

"He's gone to get an x-ray of his hand; Lanie thinks he's damaged it." I said with a slight smile.

Esposito snorted.

"Clearly writer boy hasn't been in a bar fight before. That's rather surprising actually," Esposito said with a snicker. "I'll have to teach him a thing or two about punching people."

I tried to keep a straight face and almost managed it until Ryan let out a small chuckle. I felt a giggle leave my lips at the image of Esposito facing Castle in the gym, showing him how to properly punch someone. Castle would either have a field day or would come out black and blue.

"Right, we'd better get back to work, or else-" I started, but was interrupted by a familiar voice echoing through the pen.

"Beckett," I grimaced, and the boys froze instantly. They looked over my shoulder, then back to my face, looking amused.

"Have fun with explaining that one," Esposito mouthed and I narrowed my eyes at him before turning around.

Montgomery stood in the doorway of his office, eyebrows raised. He make a small gesture and disappeared into the room.

I gulped and walked over briskly, my mind racing with possible explanations that I could give the Captain. I shut the door behind me and turned to meet face him, choosing to look anywhere but his eyes.

"Take a seat Beckett," he said quietly. I tried to interpret his mood through his voice, but he was almost unreadable. I chanced a quick glance at his face and met his eyes instantly. His gaze held mine firmly, and in an instant I knew I would be unable to lie to him.

"Right Beckett, are you going to tell me what the hell is going on, and why there was a punch up in the middle of my precinct?"

I broke away from his gaze, studying my fingers intently as I opened my mouth to try and speak. I laughed slightly, realizing that I must have looked exactly like a child being reprimanded by her father for doing something wrong.

"I...I don't even know where to begin," I said softly, my hair falling around my face like a curtain.

"Well, I'm going to assume that it involves you, seeing as the two people involved are Castle and your boyfriend," Montgomery continued, and I sensed that he wasn't accusing, it was more like he was stating the facts.

"Um...ex boyfriend, actually," I said quietly, watching as Montgomery's face turned into one of shock.

"So are you and Castle..." he trailed off, and clearly my face gave him the answer he was looking for, because a smile lit up his face and he laughed loudly, sitting up in his chair.

"Good for you Beckett, good for you. It's about time too, I was beginning to worry that you two would never come to your senses," his eyes were twinkling merrily, making him look like a child presented with a bowl of lollies.

My jaw dropped and the Captain laughed even harder. "Oh come on Beckett, you know as well as I do that he's good for you. We've all known it since the day he walked in here. That's the reason I've let him stay for this long. Well, that and he does help solve quite a number of cases."

I grinned. "Don't let him hear you say that Captain, we'll never hear the end of it. His ego is big enough as it is."

"Beckett, I don't need to know the reason why your boyfriend and ex boyfriend were fighting in _my_ precinct. Just make sure it doesn't happen again," he said seriously, the smile disappearing from his face.

I stood with a nod of my head. He walked me to the door, but just before I passed through it he stopped me with a hand on my elbow. His eyes were shining and the look on his face looked a lot like pride.

"I'm happy for you Beckett, I really am. You deserve to be happy."

My heart pounded in my chest as I fought the tears that began to well up in my eyes. His words echoed what had been said to me over the past few days, the words that Castle had said in a moment of pure anger and frustration. The words that had started everything.

I snuck to the ladies toilets quickly, desperately needing some time alone. I stood in front of the mirror, barely recognising the woman that gazed back.

She looked...happy. There was a spark in her eye that I barely recognised. I grinned, feeling a warm, almost overwhelming feeling rush through my chest. After a moment of smiling at myself absently, I took a breath and left the toilets to face the rest of the day.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey there, **

**It's been a while, I know, but I've finally managed to dedicate proper time to my writing, which is quite a nice feeling. So, this is my first attempt at writing an actual case, so let me know how I'm going and if I'm not doing it right or anything hah. **

**I hope you all enjoy it, I'm really liking this story and where it's headed, so as long as people are enjoying it I'll keep writing it. **

**Don't forget to review, it will honestly make my day :) **

**Much love and kisses, and happy reading! x**

* * *

><p>I was sitting at my desk a few hours later when a coffee appeared in front of me. I smiled and looked up to find Castle in front of me, sporting a rather bruised and split lip and a small smile.<p>

"Hey," he said softly, and I accepted the coffee happily. "Anything happen while I was away?"

I laughed slightly, smirking at the thought of the grilling I had been given by the boys and the Captain.

"Something always happens here Castle, you should know that," I put my coffee down and sat up to check his hand, which was now bandaged properly. "What did they say about your hand?"

"I didn't break it, which is a relief. They said I've probably just damaged the ligament and done some obvious skin damage. They weren't real impressed about it actually, but they cleaned me up anyway," he laughed and flexed his hand with a slight grimace, as if to show that he could still move it.

I looked over to the boy's desks, but they were thankfully empty. "Yeah well just be warned, I think you're in for a talking to from Ryan and Esposito."

Castle's eyes widened and he shifted slightly uncomfortably. "Who knows?"

"Well Ryan and Esposito know, mainly because I couldn't get away with lying to them. The Captain's not stupid; he put two and two together. But don't worry Castle, they're happy for us." I said, sitting back into my chair as Castle plopped down into his seat with a deep sigh.

"Right. I wonder just how much money has been riding on us," Castle pondered, slipping his phone out of his pocket and opening Angry Birds. "I mean, almost everyone we know is involved in the pool."

I shot a slight glare at him, and though it was halfhearted he still backpedaled quickly.

"I just mean out of curiousity. Nothing else. I wasn't involved, I swear" The expression on his face was the same one I'd seen so many times. The expression of a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. A smile crossed my lips as I felt a sense of relief that Castle and I could still have our silly little bickers without things feeling tense. Our partnership hadn't changed, only developed.

Castle went back to his game and I continued with the stack of paperwork sitting on the edge of my desk. We remained that way, content to sit in companionable silence. A few hours and two coffees later the boys returned.

I could feel the smirks on their faces without seeing them, so I chose to continue with the paperwork as though nothing had happened. I knew Castle would keep his head down; after all, he was in for 'the talk' from the guys.

They sat down at their desks, and soon enough I could practically feel their eyes boring into my skull. I looked up, just in time to see their eyes dart away in an attempt to act casual.

"Guys, I'm not about to jump him right here in the precinct, so you can stop holding your breath. We're still partners, and we're still professional, so don't get your hopes up," I said, earning a disappointed sigh from both of the boys and a loud cough from Castle, who seemed to be playing Angry Birds as though his life depended on it.

I went back to my paperwork, but soon enough I felt their eyes on me again.

"Guys! Seriously?" I said slightly exasperatedly. Ryan opened his mouth and froze, before quickly closing it again. I looked at Esposito, who cleared his throat loudly, clearly summing up his courage.

"Well, come on Beckett. We've waited so long for you two, and now it's like nothing's happened. At least give us some kind of sign or something..." He said, looking slightly uncomfortable.

I raised my eyebrows at him before turning to Castle, who was already watching me. His blue eyes were sparkling with a combination of lust and humour, and I instantly knew what he was thinking.

I let my body gravitate closer to his, letting my eyes dart down to his lips. I could all but feel the boys leaning forward on their chairs as our lips got closer. We kept moving until we were mere inches apart and then we sat back, turning to the boys to see Ryan almost fall off of his chair and Esposito groan with disappointment.

I laughed loudly, knowing that Castle would appreciate how evil it sounded.

"How old are you guys, seriously! We're not in high school, I'm not just going to kiss him to make you lot happy," I said with a devious glare.

"Tease. You, Detective Beckett, are a _complete _tease," Esposito said grumpily. His frown switched to Castle. "How you put up with that bro, I'll never know."

"Being a tease isn't such a bad thing, Esposito," Castle chuckled, turning to waggle his eyebrows suggestively at me.

I narrowed my eyes, my hands darting out to grab hold of his nose. A very feminine squeal left his mouth as I twisted slightly, pulling his head closer to mine.

"You'd want to be very _careful_ about what you say, Ricky boy, or you'll be getting nothing but teasing from me. If you get my meaning," I said in a low voice, with just enough lust in my voice to make him understand. Telling the boys about my sex life meant no sex life at all for one Richard Castle.

"Yep, got it, loud and clear. Apples, apples!" He said in a constricted voice, his eyes squeezed shut.

I let go and he rubbed it tenderly, sitting back into his chair with a slight grimace.

The boys were smirking once more, and though they hadn't heard what I said, they could both obviously hazard a guess.

Rather than looking at them, I chose to go back to my paperwork. Castle rubbed his nose, his face turned into a very childish pout. After shooting several glares in my direction, he pulled his chair around the corner and went back to Angry Birds.

I rolled my eyes, marveling at the maturity of the men that I worked with, before I felt something touch my ankle. I barely managed to conceal my start of surprise, and I glanced down.

Castle had slipped his foot out of his shoe, and was currently running his toe along the back of my calf.

I spared a glance in the direction of Esposito and Ryan, but clearly they had given up hope of seeing anything interesting.

Then I turned to glare at Castle. He hadn't even looked up, but was focusing on his phone intensely. It was almost as though he wasn't doing anything.

Feigning indifference, I went back to my paperwork. His toe drew patterns along me, slipping up my pant leg to touch bare skin. I tried to stay calm, but on the inside I was already feeling the all too familiar burn of arousal.

He stayed where he was, his toe only just able to reach me from his position on the chair. Just as I thought I would be able to contain myself, he made a frustrated noise and pulled a face at his phone.

A quiet grumble left his mouth as he clearly lost on his game, and he shook himself out before rearranging himself on the chair.

It was a common occurrence for Castle to get angry at his phone or his game if he lost, and this was a sight that the whole Precinct was used to. It was different this time however, because as he rearranged himself, he moved his chair closer, his foot slipping up higher to rest in between my knees.

I felt the flush creeping up my neck, and wanted desperately to turn around and either smack him across the face for his cheek, or kiss him senseless and drag him off somewhere to have my way with him.

He had just hit a spot on the inside of my thigh that sent a visible ripple of desire through my spine, and a slight smirk had appeared on his face, when the phone on my desk rang.

I jumped a mile high, startled back to reality, and snatching the phone up to my ear, I answered sharply.

"Beckett."

Castle continued to run his toe along my knee while the officer on the other line filled me in on the body drop. I tried to control my facial expressions, knowing that the boys were now watching me to see who was on the phone.

I managed to make it through the call, making it as brisk and brief as possible. The sooner I got away from this damn chair and Castle's bloody foot, the sooner I could try and forget about my growing arousal.

No matter how hard I tried through, I couldn't be angry at him for it. In fact, I was strangely turned on by the fact that he dared to risk such an audacious movement in such a public place. The possibility of being caught just served to ignite the fire in my belly faster.

"Yep, alright. We'll be there shortly. Thanks," I said in my most professional voice, before putting the phone down and jumping to my feet. Castle slipped his foot back into his shoe and stood with a smile, grabbing my jacket for me.

He held it out for me to put on, in the exactly the same manner that he had done for so long, but now it meant more. It felt right. I slipped my arms into the sleeves, noting the way he let his hands trail down my arms a little more than necessary before letting go.

I grabbed my coffee, and nodded at the boys, who were already good to go, and Castle and I headed out together.

As Castle and I slipped into the car together, I drained the last of my coffee.

"Just before we go," he said quietly, reaching over to cup my cheek in his hand, pulling me in for a kiss. My eyes fluttered shut just as he ran his tongue along my lip. I granted him access, a tiny moan starting deep in my throat as we danced together perfectly, his mouth fitting to mine as though we were made for each other. I reached a hand up to run my fingers through the short hair at the back of his neck, marveling at how every kiss with him was more amazing than the last.

Suddenly a loud whooping sounded outside the car, and we parted. My eyes flicked open to see Ryan and Esposito standing nearby, having seen us on the way to the car. They were doing victory dances and hi-fiving each other, laughing and cheering before climbing into their car. We could see them feeding the birds and cheering as they turned their car on.

I felt blush burn in my cheeks, laughing as I turned and looked at Castle, who looked as though he genuinely feared for his life.

"It's okay Castle, they would see eventually. And I think we just made their day," I said with a giggle.

He looked relieved, letting his hand find mine and grasp it tightly.

"I've always wanted to do that you know," he said quietly. When I looked at him questioningly, he continued. "Kiss you after you've had your coffee. To taste the bitter sweetness of the coffee on your tongue. Every time I brought you a coffee I wondered what you would taste like after you'd drunk it. Now I know."

His eyes were glittering dangerously, and I felt my stomach flip and grow warm, that burn low in my abdomen becoming a steady smoulder.

I tried to steady my shaky hands and turned on the car, choosing to drive before I jumped him in the car. His hand settled on my thigh, his warmth burning through to my skin, but he made no move to do anything, simply letting it rest there. I couldn't help but smile at how right it felt.

We arrived at the scene after travelling in a comfortable, companionable silence. Every now and then Castle would move his fingers slightly, as if just to remind me that he was still there.

Each touch sent a thrill through my body, yet it was not just the lust burning in my stomach. It was also the fact that we had _finally_ made it. The fact that he could touch me, and there wasn't an awkward pause while we tried to battle to keep our feelings hidden. And the incredible knowledge that we weren't just about the chase. That there was more to us, more than just wild, intense chemistry and longing.

I turned off the car and pulled the keys out, turning to meet his eyes. They were sparkling, so brilliantly blue that they seemed almost eerie. I slipped my hand into his, squeezing it tightly. I kissed him once on the lips before sliding out of the car and going through my mental routine to prepare myself for a crime scene.

I took a deep breath as I slid back into my Detective persona as we walked down the narrow alleyway to the swarm of people that had already been called to the scene.

Lanie was crouched in her usual position over the body, the blue medical gloves delicately touching and prodding different parts of the woman's anatomy. Her eyes lifted, and upon seeing us, a satisfied smirk spread across her face.

Ryan was speaking to a young boy, late teens at the most, and Esposito was speaking to some junior officers and hadn't yet noticed our arrival.

"Arriving together now are we?" Lanie said smugly, arching one perfect eyebrow.

I rolled my eyes at her, shaking my head slightly.

"Lanie, we were at the precinct together, he always rides with me from the precinct," I said quietly, hearing Castle chuckle beside me.

"Mmhm, sure, I'll bet you never kissed him getting out of the car before though," Lanie said, a mischievous spark in her eyes.

"Shut up," I shot back, wincing at how much I sounded like a teen girl. "Can we please focus on what we're here for? What've we got?"

Lanie winked once at me before we turned our attention to the woman on the ground. She was spread out, face down. She had dark, auburn hair and a pant suit on. There was a large, matted blood stain at the back of her head.

"Female, late thirties. Looks like blunt force trauma to the back of her head, but that may not have been the cause of death. There's a large puddle of blood around and under her, blood that didn't come from that wound," Lanie said, gesturing to the wound on the back of the woman's head. "Judging by body temp and rigidity, I'd say she would have died no later than ten or eleven o'clock last night."

"Do we know who she is?" I said, watching Esposito and Ryan come over.

"Maria Hartmann," Esposito said, looking down at his notepad. "She's a teacher. Found these on her," he held up a set of keys on a lanyard. There was a badge on them with her name and the name of her school.

"Right, Esposito, look into the school. Find out when she left yesterday, who she is and who was the last person to see her alive. Ryan, who was it that found her?"

Ryan nodded to the young boy. "Daniel Gregorio, he came out this morning to take out the trash. He's only seventeen. His mother and grandmother are inside, but don't speak much English. They're from Italy, only just moved."

"Hell of a way to welcome them to the country," Castle said softly, looking down at Maria.

"Excuse me Detective," a voice called out. We all turned to see an officer running towards us. He held out his arm, handing us a large, black handbag. "It was in the dumpster down the way."

"Thank you Officer," I said warmly, quickly donning gloves before taking the bag from him.

It contained several things, her purse, a handwritten daily planner, a pair of sunglasses and most importantly, her mobile phone.

I pulled out the phone, flipping it open. There were several missed calls from an unknown number from around ten o'clock. Before that, there were calls from someone under the name of Louise.

"Right, we'll get this to the tech guys, I'll bet the unknown will have something to do with it," I said briskly, before opening her messages.

There were three from an unknown number in a new conversation.

Unknown; _Maria, I know what you're up to. If you don't want me to report you that you'd better think again about my offer. _

Maria; _You can't be serious. This is harassment and blackmail. I can get you into so much trouble over this._

My eyes flew over the words, trying to interpret as much information as I could.

Unknown; _I'm deadly serious. If you tell anyone about this, I will ruin you. _

Maria; _What the hell? Go away, I don't care. I'll report you, and I swear to God I will make your life a living hell if you do anything. _

Unknown; _You will rethink this. Meet me on the corner of Fifth and Main, at ten thirty tonight. Trust me Maria, you don't want to mess with me._

I raised my eyebrows, showing the messages to the boys.

Esposito whistled. "Wow, what the hell did she get herself into?"

"Ten thirty. That's smack bang right in the middle of our time of death," Castle said, arching an eyebrow. "That makes this anonymous guy pretty high on our list of suspects, right?"

"Right, I'll get this to tech as soon as possible, I want to know who the hell this guy is. I want him in the precinct the moment we know who he is," I said, slipping the phone into an evidence bag. "Esposito, Ryan, head over to her school now and check it out."

"I'll be able to give you a cause of death when I've got the body back to the lab," Lanie said before standing up.

I stripped off my gloves and headed over towards Daniel, the boy who had found the body.

"Hi Daniel, I'm Detective Beckett, I've been told you were the one who found the body?" I said softly, seeing the all to familiar look of fear in the young boy's eyes.

"Yeah, yeah that was me. I just came out, to take out the rubbish. Mum's been harassing me for days to do it, and she finally lost it at me. So I did what I was told, and came out, an-and she was just...there," he said quickly, eyes darting over to where Maria lay. "I've never seen that much blood before," he added quietly, almost as an afterthought.

"Well Daniel, you were very brave. You did the right thing to call. Did you notice anything unusual last night? You don't recall hearing any strange sounds out here, scuffling maybe, or yelling?" I watched his face carefully, looking for any hints that he had remembered something.

"No, I don't think so. But my Nonna is pretty deaf, and so she basically yells all the time, and she has the TV turned up loud. So chances are, even if there were weird noises, I didn't hear them," he barely looked at me, still transfixed by the body.

"Okay Daniel, thank you so much for your cooperation. If Detective Ryan has already taken your statement, then you can go. But I'll give you my card, and if you remember anything that might seem relevant or unusual, give me a call," I said, handing him a card with both my number and the Precinct's number on it.

He nodded and tucked away the card before scooting away to the door of the building.

We all split our separate ways, the boys heading to their car, Lanie directing her assistants, and Castle and I heading to our car. On the way back to the Precinct, Castle's hand resumed its place on my thigh, making me smile.

We flitted around the Precinct, handing in the phone and other evidence, filling out paperwork, informing the Captain on where we were at and what we knew.

A while later, I was standing at the board, starting to fill it in with what we knew. I could feel Castle's eyes on me from his seat, and I smiled. Then, as I turned around to smile at him, my phone rang.

"Beckett," I said into it, grinning at the way Castle sat up excitedly at the prospect of a new break in the case.

"Yo, we've found the Louise that was on her phone. Her name's Louise Turnpike, she's a fellow teacher at their high school. Turns out they've been indulging in a relationship a little more than is strictly professional," Esposito said over the phone, and I could hear the voices of teenagers in the background.

"So they're..." I started, unsure if I had interpreted him correctly.

"Lovers. Yup," Esposito continued, "and guess what. Maria was with Louise earlier in the night, before all of the calls and texts from the unknown. And it turns out that the relationship was what the blackmail was about. If they were discovered it could have had a strong impact on both of their careers. They work at a private Christian college. Anything same sex is frowned upon."

I frowned, hating the way that the world was so blatantly judgemental.

"But the good news is, Louise also has a pretty good idea of who the blackmailer is. The principal, Duncan Reed. He walked in on them kissing two days ago. Since then they've received a number of threats from unknown sources, and Maria refused to tell Louise where they were coming from."

"Did Louise know anything about this offer that the unknown spoke of?" I asked, remembering the threatening text message.

"Nope, not that she recalls. As far as Louise knew, Maria never reciprocated the conversation. She thought that Maria was simply ignoring them. I'll be bringing him back for questioning soon, so get your game face ready. He sounds like a bit of a creep."

"Thanks Esposito, we'll be ready," I said, before ending the call. Castle immediately read my body language and stood up.

"They're bringing in the principal for questioning; Louise thinks that he's the blackmailer. Louise and Maria were lovers," I started, walking with Castle towards the break room to grab a coffee before we started with the interrogation.

"But the school they work at, it's a Christian College, right?" Castle said, putting two and two together.

"Yes, it is. It's stupid really, the amount of hate that same sex couples get. It makes me mad," I said, pushing the door open a little roughly.

Castle arched an eyebrow. "I never pegged you for a gay pride supporter."

I shrugged and began pouring coffee. "There's nothing wrong with it. I just don't see why it's such a big deal. If two people love each other, then hell and high water shouldn't keep them apart, regardless of gender."

I felt his gaze on me, and realised how close this was getting to a serious conversation. I looked at him, and there was a possessive and proud glint in his eye that made my knees grow weak. I was determined to make myself meet his eyes though, to show him that I wasn't running away anymore.

Then an impish smirk curved his lips and I prepared myself for a Castle joke.

"So does that mean you're in for gay pride, or have _experienced_ it, if you know what I mean...?" He said quietly, his voice dripping with innuendo as he leant closer.

I grinned at him slyly.

"Why Castle, if you only knew," I said, determined not to let him have the upper hand. His mouth flew open and he growled low in his chest. I chuckled warmly at him, patting him on the chest as I saw the boys get out of the elevator with the principal.

"I'll remember that later, and I'll get you back," he said and I felt my stomach flip at the deep tone and huskiness of his voice.

I cleared my throat and joined the boys in the viewing room of the interrogation room, where they were watching Duncan Reed from the other side of the mirror.

"Good luck with this one Beckett. He's a right sleaze. How he's a principal of a school I don't know," Ryan said, grimacing at him.

He was an older man, in his late fifties. His grey hair was slicked back over his head perfectly. He had strong facial features, a large almost hooked nose, a strong jaw and cheekbones.

What was the most unnerving however were his eyes. They were set back and were so dark brown that they seemed almost black. They peeked out from his thick eyebrows, glittering in a cold, calculating manner. He stood in the corner of the room, leaning against the wall looking perfectly at ease.

He was in a perfectly crisp suit and shiny shoes, creating the image of a man who didn't take no for an answer and was accustomed to getting his own way. He was certainly a man who would strike terror in the hearts of any misbehaving teenagers.

"Oh no, I can see how he would get himself somewhere like that," I said, remembering my own college headmaster.

I nodded at Castle and we headed in together. I took a second to take a breath and compose myself before pulling the door open.

"Mr. Reed, I believe you understand what happens to a teacher with a criminal conviction," I said sharply.

"You would never get another job. Not at a school at any rate," Castle said coldly, and I recognised his own personal interrogation room façade. "What parent would want a criminal near their children?"

"So tell me, what happened to Maria Hartmann?" I said, slamming down a photograph of her and sitting in my chair.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he said smoothly, looking first at Castle, and then calmly meeting my gaze.

"Mr. Reed. I can assure you that I will find out what happened to her, and it will be much easier and cleaner for you to just sit down and tell me. Because I will find out," I said, leaning over the desk and holding his gaze.

A slick smirk found his lips and I fought the urge to shudder. He had a strange way of making anyone feel uncomfortable.

"Really Detective? Do you really think you can take me on?" He said slyly, baring his pointed teeth at me in what I assumed was meant to be a smile.

"You have no idea what I'm capable of, Mr. Reed," I snapped, nodding towards the chair opposite me. "Sit down."

"Alright, if only to please such a beautiful lady," he said, sauntering over to the chair and lounging back in it. His eyes roamed over me, and I felt them linger on my chest. "What's a gorgeous creature like you doing in the force anyway?"

I felt Castle shift uncomfortably in his chair and knew that he didn't like Duncan Reed any more than I did. I also had a sudden desire to do up another button on my blouse.

"Mr. Reed, I think you've got more important things to be talking about right now. I want you to tell me what happened to her. Did you kill her?" I said sternly, leaning over the table again in such a way that my folded hands covered anything he might see down the front of my blouse.

"What makes you think I killed her? She's part of my staff team. Last time I checked you didn't kill a member of your own staff," he said, the smile still on his face.

"Well that doesn't seem to have stopped you," Castle said, and I detected a trace of contained anger in his voice. I could practically feel the tenseness of his body beside me.

"You knew about Maria's relationship with Louise Turnpike, didn't you?" He sat back in his chair, his face remaining unreadable, though the smile did fall from his face.

"Did you fancy Louise? Was that it? Were you jealous of Maria? Jealous that a woman should steal the lady you liked?" I said, watching his every movement like a hawk to try and find his tells that showed if he was lying or feeling emotional.

"Jealous? You're kidding me, right? Like I would touch anything that has sinned in such a way. I prefer, purer, cleaner women," he said slimily, and I felt my skin crawl as the grin returned to his face and his eyes returned to my chest.

"My eyes are up here, thank you," I said angrily, and I could practically feel the anger rolling off of Castle. "I think now is the appropriate time to remind you that you are in fact facing a murder charge."

He lazily lifted his gaze back up to my eyes.

"In that case, I think I'd like to see my lawyer now," he said with a smirk, his eyes flitting down to stare again. "And unless you've got something worth detaining me for," he waggled his eyebrows suggestively, "then I don't think I'll be here for very long.

I stood and snatched up my paperwork, taking a second to narrow my eyes and lean over him, hoping to intimidate him slightly.

"No problem, Mr. Reed. I'll remember your cooperation here when you're up in front of a court on a murder charge," I said quietly, before turning on my heel and opening the door to the room.

Castle was following in hot pursuit, stony faced and white knuckled. Esposito and Ryan were standing by their desks, but judging by their unimpressed facial expressions, they had been in the viewing room the whole time.

"Right, you lot, find him his damn lawyer. We knew he wasn't going to give anything. He's exactly the type to lawyer up under pressure," I said, and Ryan and Esposito nodded. I could still feel the way his eyes had looked over me, and I shuddered, buttoning up another button on my blouse.

"Under pressure? No, more like when you caught him ogling you," Castle mumbled, so quietly I barely heard him. He was staring at the floor, his fists balled.

"What was that bro?" Esposito asked, breaking Castle out of his reverie.

"Nothing, never mind," he said, looking up and smiling, albeit a little tensely.

I narrowed my eyes at him questioningly, but he merely avoided my gaze. The boys went to their desks and starting calling around and organizing paperwork.

Castle stood and went back into the viewing room, and I followed, shutting the door behind me.

He was standing in front of the mirror, staring at Reed with a type of territorial hatred that I hadn't seen in a long time. Not since Josh and other past relationships of mine. I also hadn't seen it so openly expressed.

I stood right beside him, reaching out to touch his shoulder gently.

"Hey, talk to me," I said softly, feeling slightly concerned.

He turned and slid his hand into the back of my hair, pulling me in for a kiss. The sharp movements made me squeak slightly as he slid his other hand around to my lower back, pressing me to him.

The kiss was fast and hard. His teeth were pulling at my lip, his fingers pressing into my neck and my back slightly harshly. He lowered his lips to my neck, pressing them against my pulse point firmly.

"You're mine," he growled possessively, and a shudder of desire shot through me. I'd never heard him be so territorial, so protective. I knew this was about the way that Reed had been so overly sleazy. He pushed me against the wall, letting me wrap myself around him.

With each press of his lips, he murmured "mine," his teeth nipping slightly. He unbuttoned the button that I had done up upon leaving, exposing the cleavage that Reed had been so obviously attracted to. He pressed a kiss to a soft spot just above my bra, sucking and nipping slightly.

I felt a moan begin to leave my lips and bit them to keep myself quiet. I had to remember that our suspect was just beyond that glass, and that what Castle and I were doing was highly unprofessional.

Yet all thought of duty and responsibility left my mind as Castle caught my mouth for another possessive kiss. He had finally slowed down however, and he kissed me more tenderly, soothing his previous kisses.

When we broke apart, he rested his forehead against mine, panting slightly as his rage ebbed out of him.

"I'm sorry Kate," he breathed, running his fingers over me gently, as if to check that I was okay. "I-I just..."

"Rick, it's okay," I breathed, kissing him softly. I ran my fingers over his jaw, along the line of his lips. "I am yours. No one else's. Yours."

I kissed him again, and when I opened my eyes again he was practically glowing. His blue eyes were positively radiant, and the smile on his face was big enough to light up the room.

He reached down to button up my shirt, but not before I noticed his handiwork. A large, deep purple hickey was now rather visible along the line of my bra. I sighed slightly, letting a small chuckle leave my lips. He looked slightly sheepish, buttoning it up so that no one would see.

"For the record," I whispered, running my fingers down his chest, "I like you when you're territorial and possessive."

His smile widened, and he nipped my earlobe slightly.

"I'll remember that for later," he breathed, and we stepped apart, trying not to look like we'd just made out.

We snuck over to the door, opening it a crack to see if the boys were still preoccupied with their work. Trying our best to act casual, we slid out of the room and over to my desk, with Castle taking his usual seat.

Just as I heard Castle breathe a sigh of relief, we heard someone clear their throat.

I gritted my teeth and looked up.

Esposito and Ryan were watching us, both sporting similar smug smirks and raised eyebrows.

"Damn it," I breathed, feeling a blush crawl up my neck and swamp my face. However I couldn't fight the smile that found my lips, turning to face Castle.

"Busted," he said quietly, and we turned to see Esposito holding out a hand to Ryan, who begrudgingly opened his wallet and slapped a note into his hand.

I laughed, covering my face with my hands and turning to Castle again.

"We should have guessed they'd be betting on whether we'd be able to resist each other," I said while watching Esposito pocket the money happily.

"They just knew you wouldn't be able to resist me for long," Castle murmured lowly, his voice husky and rich.

I laughed loudly. "Oh okay then Castle; picture it like that if it helps you sleep at night."

"I know what will help me sleep at night, and it's got nothing to do with picturing," he growled, and I felt a sudden impatience at the slow rate at which time was passing, and a sudden desire to get home as fast as possible.

"How long do we have until the end of the day?" I breathed, the arousal being so overwhelming that I was unable to break my gaze away from his lips or his eyes.

"Three hours," he replied, "we can last that long. I don't think we could get away from those two anyway. They're watching our every move like hawks."

I laughed, breaking the spell between us. He sat back in his chair with a chuckle, glancing at the boys, who were still watching us.

I went back to my paperwork and waiting for reports to come back from Lanie and the tech guys. Yet the whole time I was working, the arousal and anticipation of what lay in store for me later that night churned through my body, making my cheeks burn and my heart pound, and all the while, one thought kept racing through my mind.

I was going home with Richard Castle.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys, **

**It's been ages I know, and this is only a short chapter. I'll be able to write more soon, but I'm pretty busy at the moment. However, I had to put something up, I was going crazy! So here you go, a little bit of good old sexy smut, so hopefully it's not too bad. I'll be continuing more plot work in the next chapter, this one's just a bit of fun.**

**It might be a little OOC, but I wanted to play on the theme of an overprotective Castle a little, building on the last chapter. So we'll have to see how it goes, once again, if you don't like it or you love it, review and let me know! **

**Let me know what you guys think, like it, hate it, don't care. Either way, feel free to pass on a review, they're really encouraging! I'll be putting more up as soon as I've written it, so enjoy!**

**Also, just to clarify, in my version of this story, Esposito and Lanie have already broken up, so they're not together. Hope that makes more sense!**

**Much love and happy reading!**

**xx**

* * *

><p>The hours dragged by, and the only progression in the case was visiting Lanie in the morgue. It turned out that our victim had been stabbed through the chest by what seemed like a rusty pole and had suffered a blow to the back of the head. Lanie was still waiting for any other lab reports, but at least we had a cause of death.<p>

The end of the day couldn't come fast enough, and when the clock finally ticked over to an hour which we could slip away without suspicion, Castle stood hastily and held out my jacket for me.

My hands were shaking slightly with anticipation and the mere brush of his fingers against the nape of my neck made the heat in my belly pool. I gathered my belongings quickly, yelling a quick goodbye to the Captain. I glanced over at the boys' desks, which were strangely vacant.

I turned to Castle to ask him if he knew where the boys were, when suddenly they appeared from the break room.

"Castle, can we grab a word?" Esposito said, nodding his head to the break room behind him.

Castle blanched, gulping slightly and looking towards me.

"Better get it over with," I whispered with a smirk, fighting a smile at the look of fear that had spread across his face.

He cleared his throat and followed the boys, who shut the door behind them. Ryan shot me a wink before closing the blinds, making me chuckle slightly.

It seemed like an eternity before they came out again. Castle looked slightly better, but had the pale, shaken appearance of one who'd seen a ghost.

"You two have a lovely evening," Esposito said slyly, smirking at us. "Make sure he behaves himself Beckett."

"Don't I always? I know how to keep him in line boys," I said with a laugh, patting a shell-shocked Castle on the shoulder and pushing him towards the elevator. "See you tomorrow."

As we waited for the elevator, I slipped my hand into Castle's. His large, warm hand encircled my own.

"What did they have to say?" I asked quietly on the way down to the car park.

He shrugged. "Not much. Just the usual stuff. Threatening me with death if I ever hurt you, explaining exactly how they've been trained in the ways of torture. Also that they'd dispose of my body so that no one would ever find it."

He shrugged as though it didn't matter, but I knew he was a little shaken up.

"They're just protective, that's all," I said warmly, squeezing his hand. "They wouldn't be my boys if they weren't."

He smiled, finally meeting my gaze. "I know that. Trust me I do. That's why I told them the same thing I told Mother. That if I ever hurt you, they'd have to beat me to it."

He touched my chin softly with his other hand, his fingertips dragging across my jaw.

I leant in, my eyes fluttering shut as he kissed me. It was tender, and spoke of his devotion to me, of his protectiveness and adoration. The elevator dinged and we broke apart, smiling almost giddily as we rushed to the car to get home.

We pulled up at my apartment after an incredibly tense car ride. I hadn't realised it was possible for the sexual tension between us to get any stronger, but it seemed that now we knew what to expect, it simply made it harder to resist.

I grabbed Castle's hand and practically dragged him to the elevator. The moment the doors slid shut, I pushed him against the wall, kissing him with everything I had. His hands slid to my waist, his fingers sliding just below my shirt onto my stomach.

I shivered against his touch, the desire and need for him rippling through me. My need for him was so primal, so carnal. He had fought for me twice, and won me. I knew I shouldn't have agreed with his possessiveness, that it should upset me. I was, after all, an independent woman; I wasn't an object to be owned. Yet I had never felt so turned on by the thought of a man defending me.

The elevator doors opened and we stumbled down the hall, neither one of us wanting to part. His fingers were everywhere; along my jaw, my neck, the curve of my spine, my hips and my stomach.

I unlocked the door and pushed it open with my hip, falling in just far enough to spin and push Castle against the back of it. I pressed my lips to his throat as I locked the door and the deadlock.

Looking up to meet his eyes, I grinned slyly.

"Just so we don't get interrupted," I said huskily, dropping my phone on the desk by the door.

"Do you have any idea," I panted, pushing his coat off of his shoulders and scraping my nails down his back. "What you did to me today? The way you defended me, the way you almost took me there, as though that _creep_ Reed was watching us?"

Castle growled, whether out of arousal or at the mention of Reed's name, I couldn't tell. All I knew was that the rumble of his chest against mine fuelled the fire in my belly, made the heat in my core throb almost unbearably.

"It turned me on so much, at the thought of you marking me in front of him. So that he knew he couldn't have me. That I'm _yours._" I was practically growling myself now, grinding my hips against his. His hand smoothed down my thigh, hitching my leg up around his waist. In a fluid movement he lifted me around his waist. I grasped his face with both hands, kissing him as he carried me to the bedroom.

"I couldn't stand it. The way he was looking at you. As though you were nothing but _meat,_" Castle managed, before putting me down on the side of the bed, reaching up to start unbuttoning my shirt.

As the purple hickey that he had left came into view, he kissed it again. "You're so much more than that, and you deserve better. But I don't care what he thinks, because you're _mine._"

He sucked on the spot again, breaking more of the capillary veins and drawing more colour to the surface of my skin. A small moan slipped from my lips, and at the sound of it, his fingers flew over the buttons of my shirt until it slipped from my shoulders with my jacket. My bra followed soon after.

"I can't explain it," I breathed, my voice hitching as his lips and tongue travelled the length of my neck and down to my collarbone. "But you being possessive like this...it just...turns me on so much...you just drive me crazy."

"Tell me," he said, bringing his face up to meet my gaze. "Tell me what it does to you. I want to hear it."

"I can do one better," I breathed, taking his hand and guiding it to the front of my pants. I let him slip his hand straight down, underneath my underwear. A shaky gasp left my lips as he found my wetness.

"This. You do this to me. I've been like this _all day,_" I managed, trailing off as he slid his fingers along me with a low groan.

His hardness was pressed against my thigh, reminding me that this hadn't been far from his mind either.

"I've never felt like this over a man being protective before. Mostly I just find it annoying..." I stopped with a gasp as his wandering fingers reached their destination.

"Well I've never felt the need to be so possessive before. I just want to scream that you're mine from the rooftops, so that everyone knows," he said, meeting my eyes. His normal baby blues were dangerously dark, his pupils dilated to the point where they almost completely swamped his irises.

"God, you drive me mad," I breathed, laughing as I remembered the foot thing he did in the Precinct earlier. "I'll kill you if you do that thing with your foot again. I wasn't sure I'd be able to contain myself."

He chuckled, the rumble of his chest making me tremble slightly.

"I figured it would have that effect. That's why I did it," he said lowly, before capturing my lips with his. He slid his fingers along me again, making my hips jerk against his. Then suddenly, he was pulling his fingers away.

Before I had a chance to protest, he was unbuttoning my work pants with nimble fingers. He slipped my shoes off before taking off my pants and underwear in one go, wasting no time.

I let him strip me before turning to his clothing and helping him remove his shirt. The dark blue material slid pleasantly under my fingers, and I took a second to enjoy the feel of it. I could hear his heavy breathing as I slid my finders along his chest, feel his chest rise and fall.

Unbuttoning it slowly, I pressed a kiss to each part of flesh that I revealed, marveling at the warmth that he was radiating. I continued to remove his clothing until he stood before me in his boxers, which today were of a deep purple silk.

I ran my hands down his lower back, following the muscles down the curve of his spine. I slipped my hands under the silk, running them along his skin and his ass, smiling as the muscles tensed under my touch.

I pulled the boxers off from the back, allowing the material to rub against his arousal as I did. I knew the feel of the silk would drive him crazy, and sure enough, a low moan left his lips and his eyelids grew heavy.

I felt a shudder ripple through my body as he stepped out of the boxers, leaving him bare before me. He stepped forward, taking my chin in his hand and pulling me in. His lips captured mine, and it was surprisingly slow and languid considering we were both stark naked.

Then, I ran my hand along him, and he puffed out a breath against my mouth. Then, he began to kiss me again in earnest, the passion once again igniting.

He allowed me to touch him for as long as he could stand it. When his kisses began to falter, he pulled my wrists away from him, and slipped his hand between us, once again finding my most sensitive places.

He continued to kiss my mouth, as well as my neck, pressing his hot mouth against the sensitive skin there. He began nipping his way along my jaw, his teeth deliciously sharp on my skin, and against the soft flesh of my ear. I was trembling from head to toe, his touch sending jolts of electricity through my entire frame.

My hands clutched at his hair, running through the soft brown locks as he did wicked things with his fingers. My body was arching, and I felt possessed by my passion; as though my body was no longer under my control.

After being pent up for the whole day, I knew I wasn't going to last long. He added another finger, picking up the pace and responding to my body's movements. He growled as I dug my nails into his shoulder, and the vibration of the sound drove me closer to the edge.

He sensed it, and somehow understood that after the situation with Reed, I needed him. Either that or he simply felt the need to claim me, because he stopped and slid his hand under my thigh and pulled my legs around his waist. I gladly accepted him, trembling slightly as I ran my hands along every part of him that I could find.

His eyes met mine, and he held my eye contact as he slid into me, his gasping breath hot against my lips. Then, his lips once again captured mine and he began to move with me.

His hands were holding my hips, his fingers pressing into my flesh so hard that it almost hurt, and I knew that there would be marks left later. The thought brought a kind of savage pleasure to my mind, though as he picked up the rhythm and bit into my lip slightly, all reasonable thought left my mind.

My nails were digging sharply into his back and his shoulders, and with a gasp I hit my climax. I heard him groan my name as I cried out and began to convulse and shudder around him. He thrust into my sharply a few times before following me over the edge, and bit sharply into my shoulder as he hit his climax.

We slowed, grasping each other tightly as we came down our high, panting desperately.

Castle kissed me tenderly as soon as he had enough breath to, and we sank back onto the bed together. I was strangely content to simply watch his eyes as we lay together. They were still smoldering, yet it was with contentment and happiness rather than all consuming lust as they had been earlier.

His fingers danced delicately across my oversensitive flesh, down my hips and over the curve of my side.

"We're okay right?" He breathed finally, piercing the peaceful post coital quiet. "I don't want to be overprotective, but today I just couldn't help it."

I smiled, lifting my hand to run it through his hair and along his jaw. I kissed him sweetly once, happy to see the slight frown in his brow smooth out.

"Yeah, we are. I don't normally like it, but with you it's different," I said quietly, my voice slightly hoarse from panting earlier. "You and I have always been overprotective of each other. I remember how jealous you used to get with any other detectives I worked with, not to mention that other writer that took a shine to me."

I said it with a slight laugh in my voice, and with a roguish twinkle in his eyes he pulled an affronted look. "Me, jealous? Shall I remind you of the Natalie Rhodes incident? You were practically a green eyed monster by the time she left. Oh, and don't forget that case we did with the lovely Serena, the ex-thief. You're super hot when you're jealous by the way."

I felt a burn of anger at the memory, combined with a flush of pleasure and slight embarrassment from the fact that he knew I had been horribly jealous.

"_You_ kissed _her_! What was I supposed to feel?" I said with a bit of a huff, trying not to get too riled up.

"I was _trying _to distract her so that you and the boys could get out! Also, how was I supposed to know how you were meant to feel, we weren't quite here yet," he said, narrowing his eyes at me playfully. "In any case, if it's any consolation, you're a far better kisser than she was."

I grinned, swatting him playfully. He grabbed me and pulled me in close, kissing me softly.

"Either way Kate, we're here now. Regardless of how we got here," he breathed against my lips. "You mean the absolute world to me, and I will fight away anyone if I have to."

"You don't have to fight anyone," I managed back; "Remember, I'm a one writer girl."

A broad grin found his mouth and he kissed me happily. My heart was pounding wildly in my chest, and I knew that we were bordering on _that_ conversation.

Then, in the meaningful silence that followed, my stomach let out a growl of protest. Castle laughed loudly, and kissed me hard.

"You must be famished; we've barely eaten all day. You stay, I'll go and organize something for dinner," he said with a smile, before sliding out of bed and grabbing his boxers.

"Don't," I said cheekily, my gaze firmly fixed on the luscious curve of his ass. "I'd like to admire the view a little longer."

He looked over his shoulder at me spread across the bed and arched an eyebrow. I tried to keep a straight face, but I felt the beginnings of a smirk cross my face. He dropped the boxers and with a wink, strolled out into the kitchen.

I took a moment to ensure that my knees weren't complete jelly before clambering off of the bed and over to my mirror. The reflection that greeted me was practically glowing, even if my neck and chest _was_ dotted with purple marks.

I grabbed my dressing gown and pulled it over me before heading out to the kitchen.

He was searching my cupboards for something to cook, and didn't see me come in. I padded in silently and perched myself on the stool opposite him. He gave a bit of a triumphant sound, and emerged from the cupboard with a packet of pasta and some tinned tomatoes.

He turned and saw me, and raised an eyebrow.

"Now, now Detective, that's not fair," he said teasingly. When I frowned, he gestured down to my dressing gown. "You've gone and covered up, and here I am in the nude. You could at least be sporting and join me."

He put the pasta down and slunk over to me. He slid his hands around my neck, caressing my jaw softly. He pressed his lips to mine before slipping his hands down and untying my dressing gown and pushing it off of my shoulders.

I shivered slightly as the cold air hit my flushed skin, but allowed him to rid me of the gown.

"There, that's better," he said simply, kissing me again before turning back to the bench. I smiled as he resumed preparing, content to just sit and watch him. He moved so fluidly in the kitchen that it was almost transfixing.

I was slumped over the bench in a happy daze when the doorbell jerked me back to reality. We both froze, meeting each other's eyes in an instant. There was no way I wanted to answer my door; we were both stark naked.

I pressed my finger against my lips to make sure Castle stayed quiet and slipped to the floor. I pulled the dressing gown over my shoulders and tied it firmly. I began to tiptoe across to the door, feeling glad that I had enough training to move silently.

I peeked through the eyehole as silently as I could. Lanie stood on the other side of the door with a strange expression on her face. Before I had time to work out what I was going to do, she pulled out her mobile and dialed a number.

As she pressed her phone to her ear, I heard my phone go off on the table near the door. I swore under my breath, praying that Lanie hadn't heard it, but in a split second she knocked on the door.

"Katherine Beckett I know you're in there. Don't you ignore me, girl," she called out. I turned and checked over my shoulder, noticing that Castle had disappeared, before checking my dressing gown was secured properly.

I stepped forward, took a deep breath, and opened the door.

Lanie looked surprisingly flat and quiet compared to her usual sassy self. I frowned; something was definitely not right.

"Sorry Lanie, I was just..." I began, but she arched an eyebrow and looked over my disheveled appearance.

"I'm assuming writer boy is here?" Lanie said, with only a trace of her usual smirk. She looked over my shoulder, scanning the apartment quickly.

I nodded, and she grinned. I stood back and let her come in, silently praying that Castle would think to put some clothes on. She walked past me and straight into the kitchen, opening my cupboards and pulling out two wineglasses.

I followed her warily, watching her closely as she poured out wine from the bottle in her bag. I didn't question her; I knew she would tell me what was going on in her own time.

She didn't speak until we were settled down on the couch, glasses in hand. Then, she took a drink from her glass, followed by a deep breath before looking up at me.

"Javier is seeing someone else," she said finally, her voice betraying her sadness.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey everyone.**

**Not going to lie or beat around the bush, it has been a very long time since I've had the time or motivation to write. I must thank BamfCaskett for the kick back into gear in the form of a review. I am very very sorry that you've all had to wait so long to hear from me. So that review, along with a uni break, have lead to this. I will try and write more soon, now that I have begun to make time to write. **

**Now, last time there was a fight scene, someone told me in a review that it was a bit much for them. So, just as a pre warning, there is a few paragraphs here that may make someone who really dislikes violence a bit uncomfortable. Also, a reminder to everyone that this fic is rated M for a reason!**

**Well, with that, hopefully you all enjoy it, and thank you for the patience at the huge gap in time! As usual, reviews are most welcome. **

**Happy reading, all my love x**

* * *

><p>"I know we're not together anymore, but I just..."<p>

She trailed off, taking another sip of wine. In the background, I saw a now fully dressed Castle move back into the kitchen and continue cooking.

"I just didn't realise how much I missed him, that's all," she continued, showing no signs of noticing Castle.

"Do you want to get back together with him Lanie? I mean, unless you tell him he can't know that he's upsetting you," I said softly, scooting closer to her.

"I don't know, I mean we broke up because we both wanted different things. We couldn't work out what we wanted for our futures." She looked up to me, and the sadness in her eyes almost broke my heart.

"Lanie, you and Esposito are good together. You can't deny that, right?" She nodded, taking a sip of her wine and avoiding my gaze. "You can't avoid a relationship because of the possibility of things that might happen in the future. You have to take things a day at a time."

I saw a small smirk twitch at the edge of her lip, and I laughed.

"I know how hypocritical this all sounds, given the fact it's taken me so long to get past all of my issues and make the right choice and the move. But in the end, it was the right choice. It still is." I looked over her shoulder at Castle, who was pouring out pasta and sauce with a glowing smile on his face.

Lanie rolled her eyes and laughed. "Girl, you're getting soft on me," she said softly, a hint of her usual sass and cheek back in her voice and her eyes.

"But seriously Lanie, speaking as your best friend, I think that you should at least give it another chance. You obviously still care about him if seeing him with someone else upset you. Speak to him," I implored, pausing to take a sip of my wine.

Over her shoulder, I saw Castle pull his phone out of his pocket and check it. His brow furrowed and he pressed a few buttons before putting it away again. He finished dishing up the pasta and grabbed his jacket.

"I'll be back soon Kate," he said softly, smiling at Lanie and slipping out of the door before I could question him further.

I blinked, not quite understanding where he was going. I turned back to Lanie, who simply shrugged.

"Men," she said with a slight hint of venom, before finishing her glass off. I dashed off to my room to get properly dressed, and upon returning topped up her glass and sat down on the couch with her. I tried my best to take her mind off of Esposito, but I could tell by her distracted movements and the way her gaze wouldn't quite meet mine that she was still bothered by it.

Several glasses of wine later, she excused herself to go to the bathroom. As I waited, I felt my phone vibrate on the couch beside me. I opened the message from Castle.

_I'm at the bar down the road. Ryan messaged me because Esposito's hammered and upset about Lanie. Turns out it was his ex girlfriend from a few years back and they're not together. Esposito practically loves Lanie, and he's drowning his sorrows. Get Lanie here, and we'll get them together somehow. _

_Rick_

I suppressed a groan. They've been practically dancing around each other, shunning their feelings to the side the whole time. It was practically the same situation that I had put myself and Castle in. Except this time, I was determined to help them get their relationship sorted out.

I jumped up and practically ran to the kitchen, so that when Lanie returned from the bathroom I was ready.

"Right, get this in you, then we're hitting the bar for a girl's night out," I said, pouring her a shot of tequila, knowing that it got her in a dancing mood.

She laughed, and shook her head. "If I hurt in the morning, I'm blaming you."

A few shots later we headed out, and I hoped that Castle and Ryan knew what they were doing. Lanie seemed happier, and I knew that the alcohol was beginning to take effect.

We took three steps in the door and Lanie stopped dead in her tracks. Esposito was in the corner booth, leaning heavily against the wall. Ryan was next to him, and I saw a tiny bit of the top of Castle's head over the chair. Esposito paled when he saw Lanie in the doorway.

"Nu-uh. I'm not doing this. Not tonight," she said quietly, tugging on my arm to try and turn me around. I steered her into a booth on the other side instead, where she collapsed into my side, trying to do her best to hide herself away.

"Look Lanie, I'm sure there's an explanation, and if you're this upset about it you have to talk it out or it's really going to mess with you both. I know that you still care for him, and from everything I've heard from him, he's still got feelings for you too. Now stop fretting and just talk to him."

I finished talking, and she looked up at me, worry in her eyes.

"Kate, he was with someone else today, that means he doesn't have feelings for me at all, so what's the use?" She sat back against the booth, and before I could try to think of a reply, Esposito appeared at the side of our booth.

"Hey Beckett, Lanie," he said, his words slightly slurred. His eyes were riveted to Lanie, and she avoided his gaze.

"Look, Lanie...Can I have a quick word with you?" He said, his voice low and somber. I looked to Lanie, who hesitated before nodding to me. I squeezed her arm before sliding out of the seat to leave Lanie with him.

I headed over to where Castle and Ryan were watching apprehensively.

"What the hell?" I said quietly, looking over to where Esposito had seated himself across the booth from Lanie and was speaking earnestly.

"I don't know." Castle said, also watching the pair closely. "I got a text from Ryan asking me for help because Esposito was getting really drunk and he was going to need help getting him home."

I looked to Ryan, whose furrowed brow betrayed his concern for his partner. He looked at me, nodding in agreement to Castle's story.

"I came out with him, and I could tell something was off from the start. Turns out that he was out today when an old ex girlfriend of his came and started talking to him. He was with her when he saw Lanie."

Here I nodded, because his story lined up perfectly with Lanie's. Ryan continued.

"He explained the look of shock on her face, and that he instantly knew she'd assumed the wrong thing. He also realised that if she was worried about him being with another girl, then they still had a chance, but he just didn't know how to overcome their issues."

"Hence the drinking." Castle said quietly. I nodded, frowning over at the pair. Esposito was leaning over the table between them, gesturing furiously with his hands. I could hear Lanie's arguments getting louder and louder.

"I wish they'd stop fighting each other," I said slightly miserably, watching as Lanie stood up, almost yelling now. I felt Castle's arm slip around me, pressing his fingers into my hip affectionately.

We could hear snippets of their argument now.

"Well what am I supposed to think? You had your hand on her back, she was looking at you all doe-eyed, I don't know what you expected me to think!" Lanie said with venom. She managed to keep her face angry, but I could hear the jealousy in her voice.

"You're not supposed to think anything if you don't care!" Esposito countered, stood up so that he was no longer looking up at her.

She simply huffed and looked away.

"Well if that upsets you so much Lanie, then I'd say that you still have some kind of feelings for me," Esposito said angrily. Lanie simply shook her head, folding her arms across her chest.

Then as we watched, all the anger seemed to fall from his body.

"Why are we arguing about this Lanie? We used to be so good together, what the hell happened?" I could read the hurt in his face even from the distance we were away from them.

"We couldn't decide what we wanted. That's what happened," Lanie muttered quietly, and I found myself pleading to them under my breath.

"Lanie, just be honest for a moment. You still like me, regardless of our disagreements over the future. Please, Lanie," he pleaded, so softly that I almost couldn't hear it.

Finally, she nodded her agreement.

He lunged for her within seconds, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her face in for a kiss. She floundered for a moment, before pushing him back.

"But that girl today..." She began, but he silenced her with a quick kiss.

"She was an old ex girlfriend from the academy. One I haven't seen in years. She's married with three children-"

He couldn't finish his sentence as Lanie wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him as if her life depended on it.

I felt the tears well up in my eyes, so I blinked them away fiercely, aware of the tight grip Castle had on my waist. I looked up at him to find him positively beaming. He ducked down and gave me a quick kiss, after muttering "mission accomplished."

I laughed, looking over to see Ryan watching the pair with a similar grin of satisfaction on his face.

We all clapped and cheered, and the couple stopped kissing, looking over to us slightly sheepishly. They came over to the bar and we got drinks in celebration. Ryan called Jenny and invited her to come.

"You lot," Lanie said after a while, narrowing her eyes and pointing at Castle, Ryan and myself, "you planned this all along didn't you? And you, you cheeky woman, girl's night...sure, right!" She said with a laugh, pushing me gently on the shoulder.

Castle looked vaguely sheepish, but I merely raised my eyebrows and nodded towards the way that she was tucked securely in Esposito's arms, and didn't look like she was moving anytime soon.

"Are you really that upset with us Lanie?" I said smugly, and she just rolled her eyes, giggling slightly and throwing a look at Esposito.

Several drinks later, the music had slowed down and the alcohol from earlier was coursing pleasantly through my body, making me buzz slightly. Lanie and Esposito were wrapped around each other on the dance floor, and Ryan and Jenny were talking to each other in soft voices and with gentle eyes.

Castle's hand trailed along the base of my spine, making me shiver slightly.

"May I have this dance, pretty lady?" He said in his mock pompous voice. I laughed and offered him my hand. He pulled me up and we headed to the centre of the floor.

I looped my arms around his neck, and he wrapped his hands around my waist. I watched him carefully, trailing my fingers through the soft hair at the base of his neck.

"Penny for your thoughts?" He said softly after a while.

I smiled, kissing him softly and sweetly, feeling my heart skip at the way we fit so perfectly together and the way his hands were so warm wrapped around my hips.

We broke apart when we finally had to breathe, and I touched my nose to his, laughing slightly at his breathlessness.

"What was that for?" He said with a smile.

I moved back, nodding towards Lanie and Esposito, who were simply holding each other, barely even swaying to the music anymore. They were so completely in a world of their own that it felt almost wrong to watch them, as though we were breaking the peace.

"Them. The fact that they denied themselves for so long, and were in so much pain for so long, that it seems ridiculous to outsiders," I paused to see if he was following, but the furrow in his brow showed he wasn't.

"It's exactly the same as us. We danced around each other for so long, getting so close it hurt, and then pulling away at the last minute. It's taken us so long, and looking at the same situation for another couple it seems so ridiculous to make such a big fuss over it."

Castle's hands pressed a little tighter around my waist, and I felt myself pulled flush against him.

"I don't care; you were worth waiting for. You're worth making a fuss over," he touched his lips to mine lightly, and then pulled me in for a hug.

I buried my face in the crook of his shoulder, inhaling the rich, familiar scent of his cologne. I pressed my lips against the skin just above his collar, just leaving tiny butterfly kisses along. My fingers were roaming through his hair and along the broad expanse of his back.

"Besides, I'd rather have waited for this," he murmured into my ear.

"For what?" I breathed back, feeling his hands drift lower along my back.

"For you to be ready. For you to be so open to me, to let me in so much. For this, I'd have waited forever," he said, his voice low and gravelly.

I pulled back to look into his eyes. They were that same, intense blue that they became when he was serious about something. They were practically glowing, and I couldn't help but smile and press my lips to his, gleefully letting him in so that our tongues were dancing together. He tasted slightly of whiskey and of Castle, and I could feel his hands tightening on my waist.

Then we heard a loud giggle behind us, so we broke apart to see Lanie and Esposito slipping away to the door with enormous smiles on their faces and eyes only for each other.

"Bye then kids, have fun!" Castle yelled playfully, and they spun around to look at us with smug grins on their faces. "Don't do anything we wouldn't do, which isn't much."

Lanie arched an eyebrow suggestively, and I blushed furiously as I realised what Castle had said. I smacked him on the shoulder, narrowing my eyes as Lanie laughed and Esposito wolf whistled.

"Oh don't worry, we'll be making up for lost time. We'll be having plenty of fun," Lanie said in a seductive voice, before dragging an awkward looking Esposito out the door.

Ryan and Jenny were laughing at the blush still tainting my cheeks as I slapped Castle again.

"Oi!" he protested, moving away from me with a wince.

"I don't need my partners knowing about my sex life," I hissed lowly, trying to hide my embarrassment. "You'll pay for that."

His gaze turned from scared to lust in about two seconds flat.

"Oh really? What, you going to spank me?" he said in a low voice, so that Ryan and Jenny couldn't hear. He grabbed me by the waist, pulling me up against him before waggling his eyebrows suggestively. "Are you going to punish me, Detective Beckett?"

I raised an eyebrow, feeling the slight bulge in his pants pressing against me.

"Would you like that Rick? If I punished you?" I let my voice drop to low, seductive tones as I pressed my body against his. "I wasn't aware you had a submissive or masochistic side to you."

"I don't. I hate being submissive, but you were _made_ to dominate me, to boss me around. You've been doing it since the day I met you. The day you first clipped those cuffs on me," Castle growled in my ear, causing a shiver to slip down my spine. His fingers tightened their grip against my flesh, pulling me tight against him.

"I've never met a woman who was so in control, who seemed to put me back in my place so effortlessly. You have no idea what that has done to fuel my imagination."

My knees turned to jelly at the sound of his voice and I felt my hips rock uncontrollably into his hips, his own arousal now straining against me. I took a deep, unsteady breath, trying to slip into my detective mode, pushing my own arousal down.

"Well then Mr. Castle," I purred, running my fingers up the lapels of his jacket, grasping hold of one and pulling him closer. "It's about time I properly put you back in your place." With that, and the low growl I could feel emanate from deep in his chest, I turned in my spot, making sure that I pushed my ass up against his crotch.

I nodded briefly to Ryan, who was once again wrapped around Jenny, who nodded in return with a smug smirk on his lips. A small smirk crossed my lips, and I stalked out of the bar, one hand sliding down and grasping Castle's wrist, practically dragging him behind me.

I heard a sharp exhale behind me, and a brief mutter that may have been a curse. I stifled a laugh, stepping out into the fresh air and watching for a cab.

As we stood waiting, I could feel Castle's breath on the back of my neck, and I turned around to meet his gaze. I ran a thumb over the corner of his mouth, and was about to lean in and meet them with my own, when a sudden movement in the alley behind him caught my attention.

I frowned and stepped past him, seeing two people tussling in the shadows. The sound of raised men's voices reached my ears, and I started moving towards them the moment I saw the first punch fly.

As I reached them, I saw the situation more clearly. The taller of the two men had the other pinned to the wall and was punching him freely, taking no pity at all. The other was yelling and crying out.

"Stop, NYPD," I yelled, wishing I had thought to bring my gun with me. The attacker turned to face me for a moment before spinning and fleeing down the other end of the alleyway.

"Damn it," I breathed before beginning to pursue him. I reached where the alley ended and branched off into two streets behind the pub. By the time I had reached it, the man had disappeared into thin air, and I knew there was not much point chasing shadows.

I turned and jogged back up to where Castle was helping the beaten man to his feet. He spat out a mouthful of blood, swearing. Castle and I helped him back into the light out the front of the pub.

I was beginning to ask him if he was okay, and the words died on my lips as the light fell across his distinct features.

Though he was bloody and beaten, there was no doubt that Castle and I were helping Duncan Reed, our current suspect.

All of the control and dominance that Duncan Reed had exuded in the interrogation room had disappeared. His normally slick silver hair had fallen in his face, which was covered in blood, his hooked nose looking decidedly broken.

His suit was rumpled where the assailant had obviously grasped the front of it, and his white shirt was stained with the blood dripping from his lip and nose. His composure was gone, and in its absence he seemed wild, bordering on hysterical.

"Mr. Reed," I said, the surprise evident in my voice. "What happened? Do you know who that was?"

He pulled his arm out of my grasp where I had been helping him walk, looking at me with barely controlled rage.

"Of course I know who the bastard was," he spat, his black eyes glittering dangerously. "He told me at the start of the night, before he started accusing me of murder. I tell you right now that I will most definitely be pressing charges too!"

"Who accused you?" Castle said, stepping back from the man who was now bristling with anger.

"Louise Turnpike's father," Reed said angrily, "came in here, where I normally get a few drinks and started pointing the finger and blaming me for Maria's death. I don't know where he got his information from, but he's barking up the wrong bloody tree."

I opened my mouth, trying to think of something to say, but nothing would come out. I couldn't help but think that if Louise had told her father of her suspicions, I didn't really blame him for the way that he had acted.

A brief glance at Castle's face told me that he was thinking the same kind of thoughts, but another look at Reed's face told me that we wouldn't be able to get away without bringing the father in and charging him with assault.

"Well Mr. Reed, why don't we get you to a hospital and get that nose looked at, and tomorrow morning you can come down to the station to see me and I'll bring him in for questioning," I said, desperately not wanting to go in to work at this hour of night.

He narrowed his eyes at me, then sighed.

"Fine. But I will be in first thing. He will not get away with this," he hissed, striding away from us to a sleek black car that he sped away in.

I turned to Castle, mouth hanging open in shock and puzzlement.

"So not where I saw this case going," he said, mirroring my expression of surprise.

"Me neither," I said, shaking myself slightly and heading back towards the road to see if we could get a cab.

"Great," I muttered, sliding into the back of a cab a few minutes later. "Now I have to deal with Reed being all indignant and victimized tomorrow, when really, if he did it, he deserved it."

Castle made a brief sound of agreement.

"Not to mention it was a hell of a mood killer," he said solemnly, making me laugh. He smiled, knowing he had achieved exactly what he wanted - making me dismiss Reed and Louise's father as a problem for tomorrow, one that could wait.

I smiled at him. This was why he was so good for me. He knew exactly how to extract me from a case and bring me back to life outside work. It was something I was not very good at, but he was good at being distracting when I needed it.

I slipped my hand into his and we sat in a comfortable silence until we arrived back at my apartment.

We reheated the pasta he had made earlier, making casual small talk and banter as per usual. The only difference from our usual interactions was that we touched each other at every opportunity, whether it was a small brush of fingers when passing the salt, or running a hand over the other's shoulder. It was intimate, and comfortable. I loved it.

Before we knew it, the clock was hitting eleven, and I stifled a yawn. Castle grinned, and took my hand.

"Come on you, time for bed I think," he said, leading me to the bathroom.

I smiled, and we went about our usual nightly routine. He ran his hand over my ass as I bent over to spit out my toothpaste, and I had to stifle a moan as my earlier arousal sprung back to life.

I turned around and met his lips hungrily, tasting the freshness of his toothpaste along with mine.

But then, he was pulling away, pressing more chaste kisses to my lips.

"It can wait. We're exhausted, and we have to deal with that creep Reed tomorrow," he said gently, and I felt the fatigue underneath my arousal. I knew he was right, but my body didn't want to listen to reason.

"Mmh, I suppose," I said, kissing him again before heading back to the bedroom. I stripped off my clothes, knowing he was watching my every move. I could feel his gaze on me like a physical touch, but I knew that there was truth behind his words.

So after unclipping my bra and slipping off my panties, I jumped into bed, looking up at him expectantly.

He swallowed briefly, before undressing, flicking off the light and climbing in beside me.

I rolled onto my side, grasping his hand and pulling it up to rest under my breast so that he was wrapped around me. Tangling our legs together, I smiled as he pressed a few random kisses to my neck and hair.

"Night," I murmured, feeling sleep coming more rapidly than I had been expecting.

"Night Kate," he replied softly, pressing a final kiss to my hair.

I woke suddenly a while later, feeling a light sheen of sweat covering my bare skin. My heart was racing, my breath coming fast. I had been dreaming about Castle, and the dirty things he had been doing to me in the dream had woken me in a state of frenzied arousal.

I looked at the clock. Not yet three o'clock. I rolled over in Castle's arms to look at him sleeping peacefully. I almost felt too bad to wake him until another throb of arousal shot through my core.

I flicked the sheets over until I could reach his crotch. Gently, I traced my fingers along the length of it, my heart pounding in my ears. After a few minutes of increasing pressure and attention, he grew firm under my touch.

He was gasping slightly, clearly not quite awake yet. I smirked at a particularly loud groan, wondering what he was dreaming about. Finally, I could wait no longer.

I grasped him a little harder, and swung my leg over him so I was straddling his hips. I slid myself along his length, gasping at the contact with my hot, slick core. Then, with a groan, he woke up properly.

"Kate, what..." he mumbled, reaching up to grasp my hips, which were rocking against him uncontrollably now.

"It couldn't wait," I breathed shakily, grasping him and moving over him. "_I _couldn't wait," and before he had a chance to respond, I was guiding him to my entrance and sinking down on him.

I let out a short sharp gasp at the sensation of him filling me, and moved my hand so that I could grasp his shoulder and the bed for support. Then, as soon as I could manage, I began rocking against him.

His fingers bit into my hips and he sat up, sinking himself deeper in me. I lost my rhythm for a moment, faltering with a cry on my lips. Then I picked it up, rolling my hips against him. I angled my hips slightly and with a low moan found that I could grind my clit against his pelvic bone.

The angle was perfect, the rocking of his hips was causing him to press against that spot deep inside me that made me shudder, and the movement was causing the most delicious friction against my clit. He continued to grip my hips, but rather than guide my movements, he just assisted them, letting me control the speed and movement.

The slow burn that was building in intensity was beginning to take over. My gasps were falling sharply from my lips, and I felt my back arching and my eyes falling shut.

Then I felt Castle's hot breath on my breasts, and then his lips were closing around a nipple. I moaned at the sensation, opening my eyes to find that the arching of my back had given him direct access to my chest.

I continued to grind against him, my actions becoming more frenzied as I felt myself nearing the edge. Everything was just so right, so perfect. My rocking motions began to lose their rhythm, my gasping and whimpering almost constant.

He continued his exploration of my nipples, taking the time to run his tongue along my neck to suck at the soft spot just under my ear.

I dug my nails into his back, running one hand up to entwine in his hair as my pace became almost desperate. I was getting so close.

Then, he nipped my earlobe and spoke for the first time since waking.

"Come, Kate."

I tumbled over the edge at the sound of his husky voice, rough from sleep and arousal. A strangled cry left my mouth as my movements became more disjointed. I felt Castle's hands on my hips, which up until this point had only been assisting, start to guide my hips in their motions, continuing to grind against him and draw it out.

It rocked through me, the pleasure crashing over me as I gasped for breath, crying out as the intense tremors racked my body.

I felt him go rigid against me, his hips jerking into mine as he came too, growling deep in his chest with pleasure. I felt myself go limp, falling against him slightly as I trembled, feeling the sweat on my skin and the way I was clenching around him with the aftershocks.

He let out a low groan and took a deep, shaky breath. Then, he lay back, taking me with him. I let out a cry as he slid out of me, a shudder rippling through my body.

We lay for what seemed like hours, gasping and trying to regain our breath. My legs felt like jelly, and I could feel sleep start to pull me under.

"Better?" Castle asked, his voice sounding ever so slightly amused.

I hummed contentedly, turning into his body so I could tuck myself under his chin. His arm came up to circle my shoulders protectively.

"Yep." I said sleepily, letting my eyes close, feeling my body hum with post coital bliss before sleep finally overcame me.


End file.
